You Drive Me Crazy
by Ultrawoman
Summary: AU. Veronica and Logan were best friends, but grew apart when High School began. Now they've both been dumped by a Kane, but Logan has a plan to use their old friendship to get Lilly and Duncan back. Can it be so simple..? LoVe.
1. Prologue: Unforgetful You

**A/N: Okay, here's a complete AU version of the VMars 'verse that I've been thinking about for a while. This is going to be based on one of my favourite movies, which was written by someone that will be all too familiar to Veronica Mars fans, I am sure ;-)**

_**Disclaimer: All recognisable characters from Veronica Mars belong to Rob Thomas - they're not mine.**_

Prologue - Unforgetful You

Veronica was bored, beyond bored actually. When her Daddy said she could come with him to the Sherriff's station she had hoped to be helping him crack cases and nail perps. The reality was, he'd sat her in the corner with a few essentials and left her to her own devices. That was almost an hour ago, despite the fact he said he'd be less than half that time. It seemed 'short-staffed' meant Daddy was very busy, which made little Veronica wonder why she hadn't been permitted to stay home with her mother. Even if she was in bed sick, Veronica could have stayed with her, they could've curled up in bed and watched cartoons or something, but apparently that wasn't allowed today, and the little blonde had been dragged off to the station before an argument could break out about it.

So far, Veronica had read some more of her latest Nancy Drew book, written a list of the names of all the deputies and staff in the station that she knew so well, and counted her own teeth three times, somehow coming out with a different number every go around! She was bored, and eight year olds in such a state usually led to uproar in the adult world. Fortunately, the little girl's dull afternoon was about to be at least a little alleviated by the excitement of a new arrival. Suddenly through the doors came a pair of shiny stiletto shoes that had to belong to one of the fancy women from the 09er zip. Sure enough, Veronica looked up at the Mom-aged red-head with big sunglasses covering most of her face - clearly glamorous and apparently famous as she removed the shades and a couple of deputies gasped from behind the desk.

"You know who that is?" Lamb hissed to Sachs, as he looked over blankly at the woman who approached the desk and called for the Sheriff's attention.

Veronica lost interest in a moment and turned back around just as a boy appeared in front of her. She was a little surprised to find anyone there, though she hid it well. Even at eight years old she knew all the tricks, hiding emotions and tell-tale signs of lies and such. Daddy taught her well without even meaning too, and she wanted to be a Sheriff just like him one day.

"Hi" she said to the boy before her with a smile.

"Hey" he grinned right back, "My name is Logan, what's yours?" he asked her.

Logan, who was seemingly the glamorous woman's son, seemed nice to Veronica. She was usually a good judge of people, whether they were her own age or adults. This boy was easily six inches taller than her, but not at all scary or intimidating to Veronica. Somehow in that first moment she knew this boy would be her friend.

"Veronica Mars" she told him her name, moving her stuff off the chair beside her so he could sit with her, "My Daddy is the Sheriff" she told him proudly, pointing at the man behind the desk.

"My Mommy is a movie star" he said, just a proud, nodding towards the woman Keith was talking to, as she agreed to sign an autograph for Deputy Lamb.

"Do you live in Neptune?" Veronica asked curiously, "I've lived here all my life"

"Uh-huh" Logan nodded, "We just moved here from LA, my Mom, my Dad, my sister, Trina, and me" he explained, the pair continuing to get to know each other as their parents dealt with the grown up business.

It took about two minutes for Lynn Echolls to pay off her speeding fine, and another half hour to conclude her introduction to half the deputies eager to meet the movie star. Keith was happy to welcome the new arrival to town and assured her the door to the station was always open if she needed any help at all. Neptune was a good town really, not big on major crime, but he liked to ensure all the residents knew he was there if he was needed, however small the crime or misdemeanour. Besides which, he knew his share of celebrity gossip. Aaron Echolls, Lynn's husband, had a violent temper and rumour had it he may have raised a hand to his wife before now. If that were true, Keith wanted her to know she didn't have to be afraid, even if he was almost certain it would do no good.

"I really should be going" Lynn said as she checked her diamond studded watch, "So much to do with the new house still" she smiled as she turned to get Logan's attention.

"Come on now, sweetie, time to go" she urged him, though the boy was less than eager to leave Veronica it seemed.

"Mommy, can't 'Ronica come with us?" he begged her with his eyes as much as his words, "You said we could go for pizza and she likes pizza too"

"Oh" Lynn looked at her son and then the girl he'd been talking to, before casting her eyes over to Keith, assuming he would know who the child was.

"Thank you for the kind offer, son" the Sheriff told Logan with a smile, "but Veronica and I have to be getting home real soon"

"She's your daughter?" Lynn checked at which Keith nodded, as the kids looked equally as upset as each other about being parted so soon after meeting, "Well, how about Veronica's Daddy and I exchange phone numbers, and we'll arrange a play date or something?" she suggested.

"Sounds good to me" Keith agreed as the adults wrote down their information and exchanged scraps of paper, "We'll be in touch"

"There, all settled" Lynn smiled as she reached for Logan's hand, "We really have to go now, honey, so say goodbye to your friend"

"Bye 'Ronica" he smiled sadly as he was forced to leave.

"Bye Logan!" she waved him off, hardly noticing her father as he rounded the desk and sat himself down beside her.

"Five more minutes, kiddo, then we'll blow this juke joint" he said with the appropriate over-acted voice.

"Sounds good, Pa" she replied in kind, giggling as he ruffled her hair and stood up again, "Daddy?" she said before he got more than a step away from her, "I think me and Logan are going to be best friends forever" she declared as he turned to look down at her.

Keith didn't have the heart to tell her it was highly unlikely and entirely too soon to judge such a thing anyway. He couldn't burst her bubble and so he just smiled as he answered her.

"Sure you will, honey"

_To Be Continued..._


	2. Chapter 1: One For Sorrow

_**(For disclaimer, etc. - see Prologue)**_

Chapter 1 - One For Sorrow

"Come on, buckaroos, we're burning daylight here!"

Ms Stafford's voice was as painful to Logan Echolls ears as anything could be, despite than fact her aim was to make people as happy and peppy as she herself felt. It wasn't the teachers fault. The woman was here to be in charge of the Prom committee and get everybody fired up about the dance. The problem was Logan wasn't really the peppy type, and was ultimately here for the sake of a girl.

The blonde in question was one Miss Lilly Kane, the object of many a young man's affection, or at the very least the subject of their dirty fantasies. She was wanted and adored by pretty much everyone, so the fact Logan thought he could actually be the one to tame her told others just how much he thought of himself. The son of movie-stars, he was at least in her league, and he himself was desired by many a young woman at Neptune High. So far, though their paths had crossed, Logan and Lilly had never become an official item. He was working on it, and he felt it was going pretty well. The whole student body were watching the affair unfold before their eyes, especially those who attended the Prom committee meetings.

Across a table from each other, Logan and Lilly would flirt terribly and it was taken as read that they would be going to the Prom together. Some speculated they were already an item, though they'd never been on an official date or actually been seen together in public in that way. Logan had a plan, he didn't share it, but he had it there in his head all the same. Things were going just the way he wanted, he had Lilly Kane in the palm of his hand, and this whole thing would be sewn up by Prom, or so he thought.

"Oh, I had the perfect idea for that!" the blonde in question yelled excitedly, waving her arm in the air at the teacher, "Seriously, I have pictures of exactly how the decor should go!"

"That's great, Lilly, and I'm sure we'd all be glad to see those pictures" Ms Stafford smiled, "Do you have them with you?"

"They're in my locker, I can run and get them in a jiff" she grinned, hopping up from her seat.

Logan couldn't help but grin at her enthusiasm, something Lilly noticed as she shot him a sexy wink over her shoulder and sashayed out of the door. As Ms Stafford went back to brain-storming ideas for various aspects of the Prom, Logan let himself daydream about Miss Kane and the way that special night could go for the two of them. It just made perfect sense, they were both rich, pretty, and powerful at Neptune High. It was so obvious that they belonged together, and everybody saw it. Still, Lilly had quite the reputation where guys were concerned and Logan was determined to bide his time and do this right. When he got the girl of his dreams, it was going to be for the long haul.

"What do you think, Logan?" Ms Stafford suddenly asked him.

A quick glance at the whiteboard helped out his chances of knowing what the hell he was supposed to be giving an answer on and he shot the teacher a winning smile.

"I think, Ms Stafford, a Prom can never have too many balloons of any colour" he told her, "Besides, with your impeccable taste, I don't see we have any choice than to go with what you pick" he said, sucking up to the nth degree.

Ms Stafford knew what he was doing and just rolled her eyes at his behaviour. He was a good kid, and despite his manner she knew he wasn't quite so fun-loving and chirpy as he liked people to think. His parents had split years ago and the details were dragged through the press. Logan came off all not caring about the world, but Ms Stafford knew he did care about things. She'd have to be blind not to notice, just like the rest of the populance of Neptune High, that what he was most interested in was Lilly Kane, not least because his eyes hadn't left the door she'd disappeared through since she went a few minutes before.

"You know, Lilly is taking a while at her locker" she said thoughtfully, "Maybe you could go hurry her along?" she smiled, knowing she was going to get no sense out of either of them until they blew off steam or whatever.

Letting them both out in the hall together might have seemed foolish to other faculty members, but Ms Stafford was all for young love. Besides, they weren't skipping class or anything, just missing five minutes of a meeting that they didn't seem hugely eager to participate in anyway.

Logan was only too happy to be out in the empty hall, looking for Lilly. Any excuse to be alone with her was worth it, and he was just planning what witty thing he would say on reaching her locker when he realised he was already there, and she wasn't. With a frown on his face, Logan ran his hand along the row, recounting the locker doors. Nope, this was definitely Lilly's locker, and yet she was nowhere around as far as he could see. Heading further down the hall, he peered around the corner, but she wasn't there either. In a last ditch attempt, he moved towards the girls bathroom, intending to tap on the door and call her name. His fist did not quite make contact with the wood when he heard something.

"Oh, yeah" said a female voice, followed by crazy giggling and a clatter like something falling to the floor, as Logan felt all the blood drain out of his face.

"Lilly" he said mostly to himself at first, then louder so she would hear, "Lilly!" he called, pushing on the door which took several hard shoves before it finally gave way.

Logan was stunned as he stood, breathing heavily in the open doorway, staring at the girl of his dreams. She was looking less than angelic in this moment, sat between the sinks with her legs wrapped around the waist of Eli 'Weevil' Navarro, head of the PCH Biker Gang.

"Don't you knock?" the Mexican asked, half way between smirking in victory at almost making the 09er cry and pissed at being interrupted with his girl.

All Lilly could do was laugh at the situation she found herself in, apparently not at all ashamed or even a little phased about Logan having walked in on her and her latest tumble. Hell, she almost looked proud and that was what hurt most.

It wasn't like they were dating, Logan had no claim on Lilly and no real reason to feel betrayed, but he did. His heart felt like it was breaking in his chest over a girl he had never really had in the first place, and even though he knew that made him all kinds of pathetic, he couldn't help it as he turned away, storming out of the bathroom and down the hall, knowing only that he had to get out of this place, and as drunk as possible.

"Logan!" Lilly called after him, apparently just now having a crisis of conscience, as she ran out of the bathroom, tucking her shirt back into her pants as Weevil followed on behind at a more sedate pace.

If the blonde's idea had been to ensure Logan wouldn't spill her dirty little secret, she'd made a big mistake. His silence would be worth less than nothing as more than one person milled around the hall, catching sight of the obvious love triangle. They'd put two and two together and made the correct four in seconds. Before the day was out, the entire school would be oh so very aware of what had happened here, and both Lilly and Weevil knew it.

Logan saw nothing and heard no-one as he moved through the quad like a man possessed. Several people noticed his mood but had no idea what it was about yet. They would find out, given time, and probably not that much time as other students followed him out through the doors, whispering about the latest gossip to hit Neptune.

"Whoa, I guess something serious is happenin' there" Wallace Fennel said more to himself than to Mac as they joined their friend Veronica at the lunch table, eyes fixed on Logan as he shoved his friend Dick aside and strode off towards his bright yellow X-Terra.

"Looks like" the computer geek pushed her blue streaked hair behind her ear as she sat down, "How was basketball practice?" she asked conversationally, as Wallace picked up his fork.

"Don't even ask me, girl" he said, shaking his head, "The coach is riding me hard, but the rest of the team, man, they're not even as good as me" he smirked just a little at his own pride that he felt he had every right to possess - he really was that good!

"Good to know you're being modest about it" Mac rolled her eyes, scooping up a forkful of whatever was on her plate before looking down and realising she wasn't so sure she wanted to put it in her mouth.

"We all have our strengths, right?" Wallace shrugged his shoulders, "You fix computers, I play ball, and Veronica... she's got the sickle wit" he said with a smirk as he nudged the blonde with his elbow.

It was only then as the two looked towards their friend that they realised something was wrong. Though her fork was in her hand, Veronica wasn't eating, only stabbing half-heartedly at her non-descript food, as if it were all she had the strength to do.

"Veronica?" Mac said looking concerned, after all, Miss Mars was one of her best friends these days, "Is something wrong?"

"Duncan broke up with me" the blonde said simply, letting her fork drop onto the plate with a hollow sound.

All Wallace and Mac could do was stare for a moment. Veronica and Duncan always seemed so solid and in love, they'd been together so long, no-one ever expected to hear they'd broken up. Still, Mac had to admit as she thought it over, Veronica did spend more time with her and Wallace than with Duncan lately.

"Apparently we don't have anything in common anymore" the blonde sniffed, "There was some stuff about growing apart and... It's over" she said with some random hand gesture and a half-smile that was entirely fake and empty.

"Damn, I'm sorry, V" Wallace tried to sympathise, though crying girls were not easy for a guy best friend to deal with.

Unfortunately, Mac was feeling just about as awkward as he was. She had no romantic experiences to draw on, and she was as uncomfortable with the tears of others as any boy might've been.

"Yeah, I mean... Are you gonna be okay?" she said, hoping that was the right thing to say and guessing maybe not when Veronica shook her head, setting free further hot tears that rolled unchecked down her cheeks.

"I have to go" the blonde said suddenly, up off the bench in an instant and bolting into the school building, crying like a baby.

* * * * *

This wasn't how her life was supposed to turn out, Veronica thought, as she lie on her bed, alone in the house because her father was working late. Things used to be so different, just a few short years ago. She had a Mom then, instead of an absentee drunken mother that she hadn't seen since she was twelve. She didn't have a boyfriend then but she also hadn't cared too much about male attention, since both her father and her old best friend had doted on her. Speaking of best friends, someone different had held that title back then too, someone who had suffered today much like she had. Of course, she didn't care about Logan, even though it wasn't entirely his fault they weren't best friends anymore. Somehow they'd just grown apart for one reason or another, and neither ever bothered to try to change it, even if they thought they could.

Right now, Logan Echolls wasn't really the man on Veronica's mind. No, that slot was filled by Duncan Kane. Technically, they never should've been dating in the first place. He was rich, she was far from it, just the daughter of a local Sheriff who was well-respected but still nowhere near the status of the Kanes or even the Echolls in a way. Veronica felt she'd been lucky to have such a dreamboat of a guy as Duncan choose her for a girlfriend, but the year long affair was now over, and the only reason Veronica could come up with was that the young Kane had grown bored of his taste of the 'wild side', and wished to go back to hanging out with his own kind.

Maybe that was why she and Logan had fallen apart years ago, because he was destined to be a major player in the 09er crowd at Neptune High, whilst she was always going to be a have-not. Perhaps there was more to it than that, especially since the conclusion didn't reflect too well on either friend. Whatever the reasons, it was done, her old friendship years ago, and her latest relationship now. Veronica was resigned to the fact she was just going to have to pick herself up, dust herself down, and start over again, just like so many times before.

Wiping tear tracks from her face, Veronica took a deep breath and got up off the bed. She was headed to the bathroom, planning to take a shower, get herself dressed up and head over to pick up Mac and Wallace for some kind of night out. She just needed to take her mind off dumb men and how they hurt her right now. Unfortunately, her plan was scuppered when she got to the doorway and stopped at the sound of her cell ringing. In two minds whether to go back and answer it or not, Veronica considered it might be her Dad and he would only worry if she didn't pick up, Heading back to her bed with a sigh, she sat down on the edge and picked up her phone. The display said 'Unknown Caller' causing her to frown as she clicked the button and accepted the call anyway.

"Hello?" she said, a little apprehensively.

"Ronnie!" came the over-loud reply that nearly took out her ear-drum; however, there was no doubt in her mind now who was on the other end of the line, since only one person ever used that name for her.

"Logan?" she said with surprise evident in her tone, "How did you get this number?"

"I remembered it" he told her as if it ought to have been obvious, "How you been?" he asked her then, making Veronica frown harder.

She couldn't understand why he felt the sudden need to call her, other than the fact he was obviously drunk. His question ignored and forgotten in an instant, she instead asked what she wanted to know.

"What do you want, Logan?" she snapped, "Sympathy that Lilly doesn't love you? Sorry, not going to happen" she guessed and shot him down in one, quite proud of herself until she heard the painful laugh escape his lips.

"You've gotten hard, Mars" he told her, actually making her feel bad.

Back when they were friends, the only time he ever called her by her last name was when he was mad at her, on those few occasions when they'd fallen out over the dumb stuff kids have fights over. Still, it hurt to be reminded that they were at war these days, or at least lived on either side of a divide.

"Why did you call, Logan?" she said with a sigh as she pulled herself up onto her bed and lay down, staring at the ceiling once again.

"I heard about you and D-man breaking up" he told her.

"We didn't break up" she said too quietly, "He dumped me"

It hurt to admit it and she wasn't even sure why she was sharing since it was a long time since she and Logan had been any kind of friends. Strangely, it still came naturally. Lying here like this with the phone in her hand, twisting a shortened lock of blonde hair around her finger, it was all so familiar to her.

"Want to make him pay?" said Logan's voice in her ear, "I was thinking, how about you and me make them _both_ pay?"

"Both?" Veronica frowned, not understanding.

"Uh-huh" he nodded, though that she could not hear of course, "We could bring the Kanes to their knees" he chuckled, "All you have to do is be my Prom date"

That evoked a spontaneous outburst of laughter that Veronica fought hard to control but lost the battle for a full five minutes. She could hardly take in what Logan had just said to her. The two of them going to Prom together was crazy, more than crazy, it was certifiably insane!

"And as the hilarity subsides" he sighed, waiting for her fit of giggles to end, "You want to give me an answer?"

"To what?" Veronica asked as she finally caught her breath, "That was some kind of ridiculous joke to cheer me up, right?" she checked, now a little worried that her ex-best friend was being as serious as he sounded all of a sudden.

"No joke, Ronnie" he told her, "Come on, it'll be fun, you and me... how it used to be" he said, tone soft and nostalgic in Veronica's ear as she listened a moment, forgetting to speak when silence came, "Ronnie?" he prompted then.

"Sober up, Logan" she said sadly, mostly because for a moment she'd actually considered the idea before realising his drunken state was all that had fuelled it, "The world will look clearer if not a little less simple in the morning" she warned him before hanging up from the call and shutting off her cell, just in case he got re-dial happy.

With a sigh, Veronica threw the phone on her bed and got to her feet again, making it all the way to the bathroom this time. Pausing by the sink, she gazed into the mirror above, a stare off with her own reflection as she thought over what Logan had said. She was so different from the girl who had been his best friend, at least she thought she was, and he was certainly a different guy. Things had moved on, they had both moved on, to different friends, boyfriends, girlfriends... They couldn't suddenly start hanging out again, pretending to be chummy, going to Prom together... could they?

Veronica didn't want to think about it, and yet could not think about anything else. Her mood had shifted dramatically with the sound of Logan's voice on the phone. Her need or want to go out and party was gone. Instead she would stay home, get an early night, sleep off a day she'd rather forget. She doubted it would be easy.

_To Be Continued..._


	3. Chapter 2: I Want It That Way

**A/N: Wow, this fic got a much bigger response than I ever expected, and so positive! Yay! :-) Thanx to all the fab reader/reviewer types supporting me from the beginning. Even for those who have seen the movie 'Drive Me Crazy' this ought to be interesting - as you will have noticed, I've completey switched genders on this from the movie and with the VMars peops maintaining most of their character from the show and taking on just a little of the movie charactes, I'm hoping to make this a little bit different. Enough rambling, chapter now...**

_**(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)**_

Chapter 2 - I Want It That Way

Logan didn't appreciate being woken by a shaft of bright sunlight in the face. Honestly, he wasn't sure what day it was never mind what time, though clearly the wrong side of lunch as he still felt hugely tired and his head was thumping. Too much alcohol, he remembered that part as he blinked in an attempt to clear his vision, holding up one hand against the glare from the window. Either a herd of elephants had stomped over him last night or he'd got beyond drunk and given that the latter seemed more likely, Logan realised the only reason he would've got in such a state was because of a girl.

Lilly Kane, the image of her pretty face was immediately replaced in his head by the nausea-inducing sight of the girl in question getting hot and heavy with Biker Gang Leader, Weevil, yesterday. It only made Logan feel worse to think of it and he closed his eyes tight shut again, trying to blot out the memory. Unfortunately, someone seemed determined he should be awake and ready to begin his day. What was confusing Logan more than anything, especially through the alcohol-induced fog that had settled in his head, was who was in his room. His Mom wouldn't dare come and wake him like this when she knew he'd been out partying hard the night before, and she always knew. The help were not permitted to bust in on him whilst he was in bed, and that really didn't leave any other likely candidates, since none of his friends would be up at this hour either.

Logan squinted his eyes against the harsh light of day and could just make out the form of a girl walking past his bed. He wracked his brains to remember if he'd got lucky last night, though honestly he'd been so smashed he'd be entirely surprised if he'd had the ability to do anything with a girl if he'd got one!

"C'mon, up and at 'em, Echolls!" a voice snapped at him then, and Logan knew the only person who could be there.

"Hey, Ronnie" he said with a slight smirk as he pulled himself up to a half sitting position and rubbed his eyes til they cleared.

When he could finally see straight, he found Veronica was now sat straddling the back of his desk chair which she'd pulled over by his bed. On the night-stand was a glass of water and two aspirin for his head. She always thought of everything, he smiled to himself, as he glanced her way.

"You look like crap" she smiled cheerily, as he mock-glared at her, picked up the water and contemplated the idea of swallowing.

"That's good, because I also feel like crap" he told her, forcing the pills down his throat with half the glass of water, "What are you doing here anyway?" he asked then, just now realising that this was weird.

He and Veronica had been the best of friends as kids, but all that had changed right before they hit High School. These days they ran in very different circles and for the life of him Logan couldn't think why she would be here now, especially since she was willing to aid his hangover and smile at him. These were things he did not expect from the ex-best friend he'd barely talked to in years. Not that it seemed so very long since they'd talked...

Veronica watched the realisation dawn on her old friend's face. Initially it seemed he had no recollection of the night before, specifically of the conversation they'd shared that he'd initiated.

"The eyes are wide, the jaw is slack" she noted with a smirk, "I think somebody just remembered the dumb thing they did last night" she said much to his apparent amusement, "Still, a little thought and not enough sleep has actually made me think, maybe it's not so dumb after all" she said, eyes going to the carpet a moment.

Veronica had spent most of the night lying awake, thinking about Logan's proposition. On the surface it seemed crazy, the two of them going on even one date for the Prom. The more she'd gone over it in her head though, the more Miss Mars could find sense in the odd plan. If she and Logan started to get along, pretended to really like each other, maybe even love each other, it would throw the whole social structure of Neptune High into chaos, but it'd also teach a couple of people a lesson. Lilly Kane was kind of a bitch and it was common knowledge that she'd hurt Logan badly by leading him on and sneaking around with Eli Navarro at the same time. As for Lilly's brother, Duncan, Veronica felt he needed to be shown that she was worth so much more than he thought. She and Logan would look good together, and they'd show the Kanes, and everybody else, what they were missing out on. Viewed in that way, it was a plan without fault, and when Veronica had realised that she started to doubt her own sanity!

"So, the fact that you drove all the way over here at this ungodly hour..." Logan began, only to have her laugh at him.

"Logan it's one in the afternoon" she told him with appropriate eye-roll.

"Whatever" he literally waved away her words, "I'm guessing we have a deal?"

"I'll go to Prom with you" she nodded though the words sounded weird as they came out of her mouth and the smirk her answer put on Logan's face didn't thrill her at all, "but this isn't going to work if it's just the dance" she pointed out.

"Obviously not" Logan agreed, shifting in the bed to sit up more causing his stomach to lurch, his head to pound, and his bare chest and more to become exposed to Veronica who wasn't sure where to look.

"You maybe wanna throw on some clothes?" she suggested, which only served to further amuse Logan.

"She still blushes just the same" he said as if to an audience that was not there, as Veronica's cheeks turned the same pretty pink they always had when they were kids and he teased her the way kids do.

"Just, get dressed" she told him, "I'll wait downstairs" she told him, as she swung her leg over the chair and made for the door.

"How'd you get in here in the first place?" Logan asked her with frown as he contemplated getting out of bed.

"Mrs Navarro still thinks I'm the 'cutest little thing'" Veronica told him from her place in the doorway, and the pair shared a smile right before she left.

"Some things really don't change" Logan said to himself as he moved to get dressed at last.

* * * * *

It was a strange feeling, the oddest mixture of weird and comfortable, as Veronica sat at the breakfast bar in the Echolls house, watching Logan make coffee and toast. She'd done something similar a hundred times before, sitting here talking with her friend whilst Lynn dug around for an ice-cream type treat from the freezer or whatever, pouring out tall glasses of home-made lemonade, albeit made by the help and not by Mrs Echolls herself.

Getting nostalgic did Veronica no favours, and she briefly wondered if Logan found this scene just as strange. He wasn't exactly looking at her a whole lot, even when he was talking to her, so it certainly seemed he felt as awkward as she did. They'd have to get past that if this was ever going to work convincingly. Acting like friends would come naturally in some ways but entirely unnaturally in others. The Prom was for all intents and purposes a date so inside the next couple of months they were going to have to play at getting pretty damn close.

"Earth to Mars" Logan joked as he sat down on the stool at the end of the counter and pushed a cup of coffee under Veronica's nose.

"Ha ha" she dead-panned, since she'd told him years ago that joke was old and over-used - now it was practically an antique!

"So, how are we going to play this?" he asked, biting into a piece of toast, even though the very thought of putting food into his body still made him nauseous.

"It was your plan and you want me to tell you how its going to work?" Veronica checked, a little incredulity in her tone, "Fine, if we're going to do this it's going to require all your inherent acting skills" she told him, "And nobody is going to buy that we're suddenly best friends so we need some kind of story"

"We could, y'know, tell them the truth" he suggested, sipping his coffee, "I mean, we used to be friends, a long time ago, so we just tell people we got talking last night, decided we wanted to be in each others live again" he suggested with a shrug, like what he'd said was nothing at all.

The look in his eyes as he stared across at her suggested differently to Veronica, like he actually meant what he said. She soon let that idea blow away like so much dust on the breeze. Logan was hung over, severely so, and there was no way in hell he was suggesting they were genuinely going to be friends again, not after everything. This was play acting and a means to an ends, that was all.

"Okay, so we need to agree on an easy out clause" Veronica suggested, looking down into her own coffee as she continued, "and no overly familiar contact without warning, okay?" she said definitely as she glanced up at him with a little steel in her gaze.

"Damn!" Logan snapped his fingers, his tone suggesting he was disappointed, but the smirk on his face proving he was messing with her, "So..." he began only to be interrupted by another presence in the room.

"Veronica Mars?" Lynn Echolls voice was full of astonishment and her expression matched it perfectly as the blonde turned on her stool to look at her.

"Hey, Ms Echolls" she said with as mile, wondering what the woman would make of her and Logan hanging out again after all this time.

"Well, it's been too long since we saw you around here" she grinned, as she came over and put an arm around the teens shoulders, "How are you sweetheart? How's your father?"

"Fine, both of us, thank you" she smiled warmly at the red-head who she'd always liked.

Lynn had never been anything but nice to Veronica and tolerated her presence in the Echolls house many a time when she knew she'd rather not. Lynn hadn't had an easy life, between her abusive husband, skanky step-daughter, and somewhat wild son. She'd had a similar problem with alcohol to Veronica's own mother for a long time, though she seemed okay right now.

"Well, it's wonderful to have you here" she said smiling down at Veronica, going so far as to plant a kiss on her forehead, "You were always such a good influence on Logan" she whispered to the girl.

With that, she wiped her lipstick from Veronica's face and turned to leave the room again, throwing a wink at her son that he didn't appreciate. His Mom was now under the impression he and Veronica were getting close again, and she would be disappointed when she realised it was all a scam to get back at the Kane kids who would slight them. Lynn clearly didn't see any particular change in Veronica from when they last met, and yet she was quite different in a lot of ways.

"Y'know if we're going to act like we're together or whatever, you're going to have to do a little something with the image, Ronnie" Logan told her, as his eyes ran over her body in a most disconcerting way.

"What is wrong with the way I dress?" she asked, daring him to find fault, even though she knew the girls he dated would not be seen dead in her current attire.

"I'm going to wait til that one comes around again before I jump on" Logan said warily, realising from the evil eye she was casting his way that his answer required at least a half hours deep thought before he gave it.

"Whilst you're doing that, you might want to consider how you're going to have to change too" Veronica said snippily as she drained her coffee cup, "I am not becoming an 09er groupie overnight and ignoring my friends" she told him.

"Of course not" Logan agreed, nodding once and carefully as his head pounded still, "When you say friends, you mean the basketball guy and the computer girl, right?" he checked, sure he hadn't seen her with anyone else so often as those two.

"Wallace and Mac, yes" she said, a little affronted that he'd pointed out her lack of allies in such a way, still now wasn't the time for a fight about that, "I can deal with a few 09er lunches, but you have to spend time with my friends too, because nobody is going to buy that I just dropped them for your sake" she said firmly.

"I agree" he said, pushing his plate away when he realised there was just no way he was going to get that toast into his body right now, "Excuse me" he said then, practically leaping up from his seat and bolting from the kitchen.

Veronica had a feeling she knew what came next and gave him a couple of minutes privacy before she too left the counter and headed for the nearest bathroom. She remembered this house so well, her legs took her to its location on automatic, reaching the door just as the faucet stopped running and Logan appeared looking strangely better than when he'd gone in.

"You sure know how to charm a girl, Logan Echolls" Veronica joked as she leant against the opposite wall, smirking at him.

"I'm only just getting started" he told her with a look that made her giggle in spite of herself and she followed him back through the house, "Imagine how weak at the knees you'll go when I start spending cash on you" he told her, making Veronica stop both walking and laughing suddenly.

"Why would you spend cash on me?" she asked, looking bemused as he turned around and faced her.

"C'mon, Ronnie, I don't expect _you_ to buy the new clothes you're obviously going to need for this" he told her, looking too much like a cheerleader as he clapped his hands together with a grin, "Let's go to the mall!"

Veronica looked appropriately mortified.

_To Be Continued..._


	4. Chapter 3: Is This Really Happening?

**A/N: I am so glad that so many of you are enjoying this fic. I haven't done a movie-based AU fic like this since my Buffyverse adventures years ago, but I'm really having fun with it! Thanx for all the reviews so far :-)**

_**(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)**_

Chapter 3 - Is This Really Happening To Me?

Veronica Mars wasn't entirely a tomboy, yet she wasn't the pink-wearing girly-girl type either. She liked to think she had her own style; according to Logan, that wasn't going to cut it if they were going to pretend to be dating. As much as nobody would buy the idea of her giving up her friends for his sake, they were going to be just as suspicious of Logan dating a girl who most of the time didn't look so much girlish.

"So, where do you want to start?" he asked her as they strolled through the semi-busy mall, "Shoes, maybe?" he suggested, glancing down at the heavy black boots that adorned her feet.

"Maybe we should leave the embarrassment of me trying to walk in heels til later" came Veronica's reply as she became partially distracted by the window display of a music store.

"Hey, you can bang your head or whatever later" Logan told her, grabbing hold of her hand and making Veronica jump a little at the contact as he pulled her into a clothes store.

Adjusting her eyes to the new scenery, Veronica was not exactly thrilled to find herself surrounded by what passed for fashionable in Neptune. Shirts, pants, skirts, and accessories with price tags that made her eyes spin like fruit machines, and she'd certainly need to hit the jackpot to afford anything in this place. Of course, that wasn't a problem with Logan Echolls around, or more specifically his flexible friend, the no limit platinum card.

"Hey, Nancy Drew!" he called to get her attention as she looked distastefully at racks of baby pink cardigans and lilac accessories that wouldn't suit her at all.

"Hey, jackass!" she called back at him, making other patrons of the store look at her strangely as she walked over to where her 'friend' now stood.

"Very cute" he rolled his eyes as he shoved an armful of clothes at her and manoeuvred her towards the changing room, "Go try these on, see what you think"

"I can tell you already what I think" she told him, "I'm going to look like Malibu Barbie's preppy twin in this stuff" she pointed out as she rifled through several items she never thought she'd be seen dead in til now.

"To make an impact, you have to go to extremes" Logan told her, sounding like he was quoting some philosopher though Veronica wasn't certain he was and definitely couldn't've said which one, "Just try it, Ronnie" he reasoned with her, "After all, if you really want to get DK to take this seriously..."

That did it for Veronica, as Logan knew that it would. Any mention of her boyfriend, or ex as he was for now, was bound to invoke a reaction in the blonde. A fire came to her eyes that Logan hadn't seen in years, but he liked it and smiled when he saw it, as Veronica disappeared behind the curtain. Logan parked himself on a chair outside the changing room, crossing his arms behind his head as he leaned back against the wall.

This plan he'd had may have been originally formulated whilst he was drunk out of his head, but so far it was actually working out to be fun. Logan wasn't so girly he loved the idea of spending a day at the mall shopping for women's clothes, but forcing Veronica into clothes that the 09er girls wore, that was cool. There were times when he thought about her a lot, his old best friend who he'd drifted apart from a while ago now. Sometimes he sat and daydreamed about them still being friends, though nobody knew that was what he got so thoughtful about. He wondered what it would be like to hang out with her and the few friends she held on to, or to have her come be part of the 09er set, despite her status being lower. She'd look good, he was certain, actually dressed like a girl for once. She was hot enough in her combat boots and sassy little numbers she wore most of the time, but encouraged into more feminine colours and styles...

"Wow" was Logan's initial reaction as Veronica opened the curtain and revealed herself in a pretty pink and purple ensemble. She was the perfect combination of the little girl he used to know years ago and a sexy young woman that could bring any man at Neptune High to his knees.

"Yeah, whatever" she rolled her eyes, believing the grin on his face was mocking her rather than genuinely liking what he saw.

"Seriously, Ronnie, you look... good" he told her, "'Course the shoes don't go but we'll fix that later" he smirked at the sight of her boots, looking even heavier now and completely out of place with the knee length pleated skirt and little top and cardigan set.

"Well, if feeling like a dork is good..." Veronica sighed, "I guess it's on to outfit number two" she shooed him away so she could pull the curtain shut again and moved to try on another set of clothing she would never choose herself.

Her hands halted half way to the hangars as she properly looked at herself in the mirror. She hadn't worn these colours or this style in years, not since... well, since she'd last hung out with Logan. Her current wardrobe reflected her mood and attitude, dark and bright colours both, bold prints, heavy footwear, and large accessories. She hadn't been 'girly' in quite a while. Even her hair, cropped short and spiky as it was, it looked wrong when coupled with these kind of clothes. She had long hair once that flowed over her shoulders, that she could wear up or down in so many styles, with pretty clips and bows.

Veronica shook her head. Getting carried away on a cloud into the past was going to do no good at all. This was play acting and a means to an end. She wasn't really going to be this girl, she was just going to pretend so she looked the part on Logan's arm. It was a way to get Duncan jealous enough he'd want to be with her again, and to get Lilly to notice Logan was a catch too.

Stripping down to her underwear and redressing in another outfit he'd picked out for her, Veronica was soon showing herself off in a variety of silly poses to her old friend who found the whole thing quite amusing. Still, as much laughter as there was involved, Veronica didn't miss that look in Logan's eyes, a surprised kind of wonder at how she looked. If she didn't know better she'd think he could actually find her attractive or something. That was obviously insane, but then was there anything in this whole situation that wasn't?

* * * * *

"After this torture, I think I deserve something in the ice cream food group" Veronica said definitely as she wobbled once more in her new high-heeled shoes, falling into Logan's side.

"I think that can be arranged" he agreed, catching her for the fourth time in as many minutes as she almost sent them both sprawling.

He was hungry too after the mornings escapades. All this on an empty stomach would be a little too much for anyone to handle, and both Veronica and Logan appreciated the fact they were so close to the food court. Before long they were sat either side of a table in the far corner, him with a sandwich, two pastries, and a Coke, her with her requested sundae.

"I can't believe most girls do this for fun" Veronica shook her head as she forced another spoonful of ice-cream into her mouth.

"The shopping, or the wearing of girly shoes?" Logan asked her with a smirk, before taking another bite of his lunch.

"Either... or both" she amended thoughtfully, "This is not how I'd like to spend every Saturday" she said definitely, "but at least I'm not paying for the pleasure" she smiled sweetly as she worked her way down the tall glass in front of her.

He chuckled slightly at her expression as they ate in silence a while. It was strangely familiar, as it had been earlier in the Echolls kitchen. They'd been here before too, Logan and Veronica as kids, sharing sundaes like the one she ate now, enjoying all the noise and colours of the mall. Of course, they weren't children anymore, and the comfortable feeling of being together in silence or otherwise was quickly replaced by awkwardness for both of them.

"You're staring" Veronica pointed out as Logan's eyes felt like they were burning a hole in her head, "Do I have ice cream on my nose or something?" she checked, wiping two fingers across her face and finding nothing there.

"No, I was just..." Logan wasn't honestly sure what he was just doing, and so left his sentence hanging a while before he asked a question that came to mind, "Why'd you cut off your hair?"

Veronica's eyes went straight to the table then, almost as if she were ashamed of something. Logan couldn't imagine why his question would evoke that sort of reaction, it certainly hadn't been his intention, but he really was curious about it. As a kid, Veronica had long blonde hair, often tied up in pig tails or platts. Her mother did all kinds of things with little Ronnie's hair and it was this thought that made Logan feel suddenly nauseous. It was Lianne who had made a fuss of her daughter's hair, did all the styles for her. It was years now since the Mars had split, that Veronica's Mom had left Neptune and never come back...

"I don't know" she said then, startling Logan a little as his mind had wandered in the brief silence, "Sometimes I think about growing it out but..." she admitted, shaking her head to save her further explanation as she dropped her spoon into her almost empty sundae glass and pushed herself back in her seat, "I'm done"

"Me too" Logan nodded, finding a smile in the hopes she would too, "So, more shopping?" he suggested, as they got to their feet, "Maybe back to that store with the tube tops..." he began, then off her severe look, "Okay, maybe not. It's not like you have the equipment for it..." he said with a wicked smirk.

Veronica ought to mad at him but the look in his eyes as well as on his face told her he meant to make a joke, make her laugh after almost causing tears.

"You're an ass, Logan Echolls!" she said, thwacking him in the chest with her handful of shopping bags as they both laughed.

Today had actually turned out to be fun. There was hope for their plan yet, and maybe even their friendship.

* * * * *

The yellow X-terra pulled up outside Veronica's home, and she set about gathering up all the bags of clothes, shoes and makeup Logan had purchased for her. He offered to help her to the door with it all as they got out of the car and grabbed half the shopping each.

"You think she's worth all this?" Veronica asked as they headed up the porch steps, "Lilly, I mean" she explained, "Is she really worth spending all this time and money"

"You think her brother is worth it, right?" he said, almost a challenge though it was a simple enough question that ought to require an equally similar answer.

"I wouldn't be here if I didn't" she told him, not looking his way at all as she manouevred the bags on her arm and unlocked the front door.

Dumping the shopping she held inside, she took the rest of it from Logan and added it to the pile before returning to face him on the doorstep.

"So..." she said, shifting awkwardly, feeling strangely like she was at the end of a first date or something.

"So, I guess I'll see you Monday" Logan nodded once, "I could pick you up, make it look more authentic?"

"Sure, good idea" Veronica forced a smile as she agreed, "Can't hardly wait" she rolled her eyes at her own sarcasm before heading inside, watching Logan walk away to his car and drive off down the street.

From Monday, he was her friend again, maybe even her boyfriend. Okay so it was all an act but that didn't mean Veronica felt any the less weird about it. Maybe she'd been a fool to agree to this plan, but if it meant getting Duncan back, it had to be worth it... right?

_To Be Continued..._


	5. Chapter 4: Help Save the Youth

**A/N: Still loving all the support you lovely reviewers are giving me on this - thanx! :) Now, would the alumni of Neptune High please welcome their new hottest couple - Logan & Veronica! ;)**

_**(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)**_

Chapter 4 - Help Save the Youth of America from Exploding

"Veronica!" Keith Mars called to his daughter, tapping on her bedroom door at the same time, "I'm about to leave for work, so... Huh" he stopped short when she opened the door and faced him, not exactly dressed in her usual attire.

In place of her usual over-sized sweater, pants, and heavy boots, his daughter looked almost pretty in a pastel shirt and skirt ensemble and heels. She ought to seem softer, even nicer, in her new outfit, but honestly, as Keith looked at his daughters face, he saw only an unimpressed, almost grumpy expression.

"Good morning, sunshine" he smiled at her, and though that raised a half-smirk on her face, she still looked less than impressed with the world as she moved past her father into the living room, "Is there something you want to tell me, Veronica?" he asked as he followed her.

"Not really" she shrugged, full of nonchalance as she checked all the books and things she needed were in her bag, "I just felt like a change"

"Uh-huh" Keith nodded once as he sat down on a stool by the counter and watched her stuff the necessary items into pockets and a new book bag, "Well, I was just..." again his sentence was cut-short, this time by blaring music from outside the window.

"And that will be my ride" Veronica said, rolling her eyes at how obvious Logan could be sometimes.

She had hoped he would come for her after her father had left for work, or at the very least been a little subtle about his arrival. Clearly, Veronica had forgotten her old friends style entirely, since despite all the changes that had supposedly occurred in his life and hers, they'd been very much their old selves when they hung out on Saturday.

"Sweetheart" Keith said from his spot by the window now, "You wanna explain to me why Logan Echolls is parked outside in a giant lemon?" he asked with a hint of a smirk at his lips.

"He's giving me a ride to school" she gave as explanation but off her father's look was forced to elaborate, "We kind of hung out over the weekend, and it was actually fun" she admitted as she stood by the front door, adjusting her bag on her shoulder.

"So, you two are... friends again?" he checked, a little surprised if he were honest after such a gap in their relationship.

"If it must be labelled, then yes" Veronica nodded once, reaching over to plant a kiss on her Dad's cheek and calling 'see you later' as she hurried out of the door at last, ever mindful that if she didn't move her butt Logan might just come to her!

"And here she is!" he yelled over the loud music which he duly turned down to a dull roar as she approached the car, and he opened the door from the inside, "What's up, Ronnie?" he grinned at her in a disconcerting way as she got into the car beside him.

"What's up is I look like a Barbie doll and I just got the third degree from my Dad about why we're hanging out again" she told him with a forced smile as she fastened her seatbelt.

"Didn't you tell the Sheriff that my animal magnetism was just too much for your weak little girl will to resist?" he said with a wink that only made Veronica roll her eyes.

"Obviously" she scoffed, sarcasm evident as it should be, as they finally got back on the road and headed for Neptune High.

Veronica pulled at the skirt she was uncomfortable in and checked her hair once again in the side mirror. She wasn't used to looking like this, to feeling so self-conscious. Honestly, she wasn't sure why she'd agreed to do this, it couldn't possibly be worth all the effort. It was then that Veronica recalled why they were really doing this, so that Logan could get Lilly's attention and, more importantly, so that Veronica herself could get Duncan back. Her ex-boyfriend becoming her boyfriend again, that was what she had to remember and focus on in order to get through this. Not that spending time with Logan was such a chore, it might even be nice to hang out again at school and all, it was his other friends she wasn't looking forward to facing, as well as her own, given the way she was dressed and must act if she was going to pull this off.

"It works for you" Logan said all out of the blue, causing Veronica to look at him strangely, "The new look, it's... it works" he repeated, not sure how else to phrase it without getting slapped or tasered.

"Yeah, thanks" she said vaguely in response, not entirely sure if he was being serious or not.

The fact Logan was barely looking at her could obviously be blamed on his needing to keep his eyes on the road, but Veronica wondered if he'd just managed to embarrass himself. Maybe she did look kind of hot to him, after all, he had pretty much chosen all the clothes she would have to wear to fit in with the 09er set. Besides, they were both going to have to get used to giving and taking such compliments from each other if they were going to play the parts of best friends and more.

"Here goes nothing" Logan smirked her way as he swung the bright yellow X-Terra into the school grounds, pulling into a space on what tended to be the 09ers side of the lot.

The whispering started up before Veronica's foot even hit the asphalt, the staring evident as she glanced around at her fellow students scattered around the area. Some were talking behind their hands, others were more obvious with the pointing and wolf-whistling at her new attire. Veronica was nonchalant as was possible as she moved around the car to see why her fake boyfriend had not appeared from the other side.

Logan was, for all intents and purposes, pinned to the side of his own car by one very over-excited daughter of the Mayor. Gia Goodman was eager to please in an innocent kind of way that was almost cute, if it weren't so annoying to everyone, both male and female. Logan looked to Veronica with pleading eyes, wishing to be saved, but instead the little blonde just stepped back out of Gia's view, folding her arms over her chest and grinning proudly at the awkward display.

"So I was thinking" Gia said, all giggly and girly about what she was saying, as she leaned in too close and choked Logan with her perfume, "since Lilly would clearly rather make out with the help than go to Prom with one of the dreamiest guys in school, I just want you to know that I am totally available!" she enthused, as Logan looked past her at Veronica who was making gagging motions at the display.

Hiding his laughter in a smirk, Logan put his arm around Gia's shoulders and turned her around, finally escaping her clutches the only way he could.

"That's... sweet, Gia" he told he awkwardly, "but me and Ronnie here got talking over the weekend and she's going to be my Prom date" he said, arm dropping from the brunette's shoulders, as he moved to stand beside his new fake girlfriend.

"Veronica Mars?" Gia was stunned as she looked the blonde up and down, taking in the new clothes she wore, and more pointedly, the fact Logan was now holding hands with her!

"Are you feeling okay, Gia?" Veronica asked sweetly, "You look a little pale, doesn't she, honey?" she said, looking up at Logan with a bessotted-girlfriend kind of a gaze.

"Good call, sweetpea" he played along, trying not laugh as they walked away, with Logan purposefully swinging their joined hands so the whole world would see they were together.

Veronica was so distracted by Logan's stupid behaviour that was amusing her more than aggravating right now, she failed to spot Duncan getting out of his car across the lot, along with his sister, Lilly.

"Veronica Mars is with Logan now?" the blonde looked thoroughly amused by the turn of events, even as her brother stared with a steely gaze at the odd couple, "There's a charming little development" she giggled as she moved away to talk to her friends.

Duncan's feet remained rooted to the spot for another five minutes before he realised the bell had rung and he ought to move his ass. Veronica, dressed like a Barbie doll and hanging around with a guy like Logan? That was just plain wrong!

* * * * *

"I think we made a suitably shocking entrance" Veronica said as they headed for the steps of the school building.

"Really?" Logan joked, "I thought it could've been a little higher on the shock scale" he considered, "but hey, it can only get better, right?"

"If you say so" Veronica rolled her eyes, as she slid her fingers out of his and walked away into the building, leaving Logan alone on the front steps, staring after her.

She did look good, he hadn't lied in the car when he told her that, and a small part of him couldn't help but wonder why all this had to be such an act. They were best friends once, for years, and yet had now got to a point where being seen together was as shocking to the populace of their high school as anything ever could be.

"Dude!" Dick yelled as he and Troy ran up behind Logan, the latter slapping him on the back, "Did we just hear the craziest rumour about you or what?" Dick told his friend with a grin, "The guys are saying your new woman is Veronica Mars!" he declared, wondering why Logan continued to look less than amused by what he was saying.

"Well, I gave her a ride to school and she's my date for the Prom so... yeah, new woman works for that" he shrugged, as Dick's mouth opened and closed like a landed fish for quite a while before he found words again.

"Man, that is not cool" he declared, but Logan shook his head.

"C'mon, Dick, you know she's hot no matter what zipcode she lives in" Troy threw in with a look in his eye that gave Logan the strangest urge to punch the guy right in the face.

"Yeah" he said sharply, before turning back to Dick, "and I dunno, man, we used to be friends" he shrugged, "I guess we kind of re-connected over the weekend"

Dick wasn't sure how to take in what he was being told. Of course, what Logan said was true, and Ronnie was kind of a hottie despite the fact she really didn't dress to show it. He guessed her attitude could be sexy to the right guy, but honestly Dick didn't really get it. The only thing he knew for sure that was hotness alone wasn't necessarily enough for him anymore.

"Y'know, I'm starting to get that girls need more than looks" he said as the three of them started to head inside.

Logan and Troy both looked as stunned by Dick's revelation as the blond had been by Logan's latest girlfriend.

"Please tell me you don't want to date smart girls, Dick" Troy said with a grimace, "'cause I think they only date smart guys" he explained, but Dick shook his head.

"I dunno, man" he said, "All I know is I started hanging around Madison because she was hot, but that's the only good thing about her. Everything else is all bitchy and... I don't know how much longer I can deal" he explained, as they headed on down the hall, thankfully passing by Veronica's locker without incident, much to her relief - though she was pretty sure Troy Vandergraff just winked at her...

"So, it's not true?" Mac asked as she and Wallace approached their friend from the other side and made her jump a little.

"Not true?" she echoed, feeling more than a little self-conscious as Wallace looked her over in a way he never usually would.

"Man, I heard you got out of Logan Echolls car this morning, dressed like one of those 09er bitches, and holding hands with the guy" he said with apparent distaste, but then Veronica really couldn't have expected anything else.

"Well, the rumour mill is clearly improving its accuracy rating" Mac said thoughtfully, "One out of three?" she said, gesturing at her friend's odd wardrobe choice.

Veronica closed her locker door and picked up her bag, glancing around the hallway to make sure no-one was paying too much attention. Though some still stared, she was pretty sure they were at enough of a distance, and there was so much noise they'd never hear.

"Three out of three is true" she said quickly and quietly to her two stunned friends, "but its not what it looks like. Logan and me, we have a plan" she explained, "I need to show Duncan he's not the only person in the world interested in me, and Logan needs to show Lilly she can't mess him around the way she did"

"Okay" Mac nodded as she considered it and realised as a plan it did make some sense, "but isn't it kind of... over-the-top?" she asked, the outfit Veronica's was wearing causing a particular look of distaste to come over her features.

"To make an impact, you have to go to extremes" her friend shrugged, as the bell rang, signalling they should all be in class already.

"We'll talk more about this later" Wallace warned her, still not really getting why someone like her would want to act this way, even if it was to prove a point to her ex.

Veronica sighed, as her she parted ways with her two best friends, knowing that they were going to be the biggest hurdle to overcome in this situation. They didn't really understand why she felt the need to do this, and in all honesty Veronica couldn't properly explain it. She only hoped Duncan realised fast what a mistake he'd made and they got back together, so this stupid charade could end before it went too far.

_To Be Continued..._


	6. Chapter 5: The In Crowd

**A/N: Some of you have made some good guess about what comes next/later, but then if some of you have seen the movie that might help you. Either way, thanx muchly once again for the fab reviewage. **

_**(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)**_

Chapter 5 - The In Crowd

Veronica Mars could come up with a million reasons why she was still in the girl's bathroom a full ten minutes after she went in. She was checking her hair, fixing her makeup, actually using the toilet, and hell, she could use some real inventive feminine excuses for being in here so long, but in her head and her heart, Veronica knew there was just one really stupid reason for hiding out in the little pink room. Outside the door, Logan was waiting for her, and then she had to go and eat lunch with the 09ers as his girlfriend. Hanging out with Logan was fine, even pretending to like him like she used to was easy and came surprisingly naturally. The clothes she could handle, the whispering and pointing was more frequent but nothing new. No, Veronica's problem was facing the in crowd, knowing that she'd never been more 'out'.

These clothes made her look like she was trying too hard, she was certain of it, and she feared someone calling her and Logan on their relationship. Was anyone really going to buy that in the space of two days they'd decided to be friends again, more than friends even, boyfriend and girlfriend? Friday he was hung up on Lilly and she'd at least started the day as Duncan's other half. Now on Monday they'd moved on enough to be together? That couldn't reflect well on Logan or herself, but Veronica knew it was too late to back out now. It would be a whole lot more humiliating to admit defeat and tell everyone it was a scam before the trick had even really begun.

"Get a grip, Veronica" she told her reflection in the bathroom mirror, before taking a deep breath and heading for the door, "Hey" she greeted Logan with a somewhat forced smile and he knew she was having trouble with this already.

It kind of made Logan feel bad about his master plan. Sure, he was helping Veronica get Duncan back just as much as it was helping him catch Lilly's eye, but it was no use if it was going to make the little blonde miserable. After all, it wasn't really her fault they'd stopped being friends years ago, they'd just kind of drifted apart. He felt no real malice towards her or her new friends at all, and she'd shown none for him either, other than the lower class general contempt for the 09ers as a group.

"You sure you wanna do this?" Logan asked as he and Veronica headed for the main doors leading out to the lunch area, "because we can just..."

"Shut up" Veronica snapped, grabbing hold of his hand all of sudden as they reached the doors just as Shelley Pomroy and Madison Sinclair were heading the other way, complete with cheerleading uniforms and pom poms.

"Oh, hi you two" Shelley smiled almost genuinely at the odd couple, who duly smiled back at her.

"Logan, what are you trying to prove with this?" Madison spoke over Veronica's head on purpose, as if she wasn't even there, "Nobody thinks any less of you just because Lilly acted like a whore... again" she rolled her eyes.

"Well, at least nobody can ever accuse you of that, Mad" Logan smirked as he and Veronica hovered in the doorway, "You can't even keep Dick happy" he said, as Veronica tried not to laugh at the expression on the other blonde's face.

If Logan was happy to insult Madison Sinclair like that for even implying Veronica was unworthy to be with him, that suited her just fine. It gave her a confidence in this whole situation that she didn't have before, plus served to remind her that Logan was, for the most part, the same guy she'd known so well when she was a kid. Sure, they'd grown up and grown apart, but beneath the brash jackass exterior she barely recognised, was the boy who had been her playmate and confidante from the age of eight til the Summer before High School.

"Greetings pals and gals" he was grinning still as they headed over to the 09er table, still holding onto her hand and swinging their arms to make it all the more obvious.

"Hey Logan, Veronica" Troy greeted the pair with what appeared to be a genuine smile, as he moved over and made room for his friend's new girl.

"Hi" she said as she sat down on the bench, her boyfriend leaning back on the railing beside her, "It's Troy, right?" she checked, since she was pretty sure she'd never talked to the guy, despite the fact he was probably one of Logan's closest friends these days, the very title she used to hold.

"It is" he confirmed, "You know everybody else?"

"Yeah" Veronica nodded once, as she looked around the table at the all too familiar faces that glared her way.

None of the girls were pleased to see her, that was for damn sure, and whilst the guys might like the way she filled her clothes they weren't so sure they wanted her at their table either. Veronica quickly forgot the moment in the hall when everything had felt okay and started to feel awkward all over again.

"Hey, you guys wanna quit staring sometime soon?" Logan asked, turning from his conversation with Casey to see the rest of the group staring dumbly at Veronica, "She's my girlfriend, not a fish at the aquarium" he said sharply, the mood clearly about to turn nasty and/or awkward, when suddenly the delivery guy arrived with lunch for all.

"Great, pizza" Veronica tried to seem enthusiastic about anything but failed miserably and she knew Logan noticed too.

He shot her an apologetic look as they both grabbed some food and sat down again. This wasn't easy, far from it. Whilst one or two of the 09er set didn't mind too much about the whole Logan/Veronica thing, it was clear most were less than happy with her presence at their table. She was an outsider, definitely not one of them. She didn't belong and they wanted rid of her, just like she'd known they would. They'd shunned Duncan quite easily, partly for dating her but also because he started hanging out with one too many people from the non-09er set. He supported the wrong side of the divide in his position as student council president and that didn't sit well with the in crowd, not even with his own sister, Lilly Kane.

"So, Veronica" Meg Manning smiled at her from across the table, "Did you pick a topic for your English essay?" she asked conversationally.

For a moment the blonde was too stunned to answer. Somebody here was actually being nice to her! Then she started to get her bearings and thought about the question she'd been asked. Ms Carter had decided that this semesters big assignment should be on something any student couldn't fail to want to write about, by giving them free reign. The rules were simple, the paper must be five thousand words, with good use of vocabulary, and the best spelling, grammar, and punctuation. Other than that only three words mattered, win the argument. You could argue for or against anything at all, from the petty to the serious, from why your colour of lipstick is the best ever made to why animal research is wrong.

"I'm narrowing it down" Veronica said as she thought carefully about what she was going to say next, "Maybe some dynamic argument about something really important for the world to know like... why blondes really do have more fun" she joked, making Meg chuckle too, though it would appear from the agreement she got around the table that one or two of the more bimbo types thought she was serious and it was the best idea ever.

Veronica didn't mind so much, at least she wasn't being as censured and ridiculed here as she thought she would.

"I'd be happy to help with the research process on that?" Troy winked somewhat suggestively at her then, and she smiled even as she rolled her eyes at the very idea.

Whether it was to hammer home the point that Veronica was supposed to his girlfriend, she wasn't sure, but the feeling of Logan's hands on her shoulders made her tip her head back to look at him. They shared a smile before he planted a kiss on her forehead, the sweet moment accompanied by appropriate 'aaws' from a couple of the girls around the table. It was the oddest feeling as the supposedly fake couple shared a look that felt as real to Veronica as it possibly could. Quickly she looked away, shaking her head and reminding herself this was all acting and not at all real, an explanation that would have been welcomed by her real friends who sat across the quad, one of them watching the display with some distaste.

"What in the hell happened to Veronica over the weekend?" Wallace mostly asked himself, since Mac was entirely involved in whatever she was reading on her laptop screen, "I mean, I ain't got a problem with this plan she's supposed to have or with her changing her wardrobe, hell, I could deal with her genuinely wanting to date Logan Echolls if I thought it made her happy, but... Yo, Mac, you hearin' a word I'm saying?" he checked, nudging her in the arm as she continued to ignore him.

"Oh, I'm sorry, Wallace" she apologised immediately, shaking herself out of a mini-daze as she turned from her computer screen to look at her friend, "You were saying something about... lunch meat?" she tried, as she looked down at what he was eating.

"Not even close" he rolled his eyes but was smiling anyway, "What has you so distracted anyway?" he asked, leaning over her shoulder to see what she'd been reading.

Mac considered closing the lid of her laptop but she could see Wallace had already started reading her email. Besides, she had nothing to be ashamed of, she'd just made a new friend is all. Okay, so that friend was male and she'd met him on the Internet, but there was nothing weird going on at all.

"Who is this guy?" Wallace asked his brow wrinkling as he read the jokey, cute and friendly little message that was quite badly spelled for one of Mac's fellow computer geeks.

"He's RichieRich" she shrugged, as if it were explanation enough, which of course it was not and the look on her friend's face told her so, "We got talking by accident, I thought he was one of the guys from Computer Club but it turned out not so much"

"But you're still talking to him anyway?" Wallace checked, not looking at all impressed.

"I know, it doesn't sound good" she sighed, "but he's fun, he makes me laugh, and it's just emails, Wallace" she promised, "I swear, we didn't even trade real names yet, no pictures, no identifying details, nada" she said, making a sweep motion with her hands that reinforced the 'nothing' she spoke of.

"I guess that's cool" he nodded, as he saw the email began 'To BlueBelle' and was signed off by 'RichieRich' as Mac had said.

It was bad enough for Wallace to have one of his best friends turning into an 09er over night, he didn't like the idea of losing the other in a much bigger and more dangerous way to a Internet psycho pervert or similar.

"Hey guys" said Veronica, as she suddenly appeared before them, taking both her friends attention from the computer screen.

"Hi" Wallace looked a little surprised she'd even come over to their table, "You sure you wanna be seen with us? Won't your 09er buddies freak out?"

"You know it's not like that" the blonde said definitely, "I..." she stopped talking when Logan came over and wrapped his arms around her from behind, "I'll talk to you later" she said with a look that neither he nor Mac really understood.

All they knew was that Veronica was suddenly good friends or even more with Logan Echolls, evidenced by the giggling she did as he walked her back to the 09er table, whispering something in her ear. Boyfriend-snagging plan or not, she didn't seem to have much time for them anymore, and that hurt. Neither Wallace or Mac could imagine finding anything more important than the three-way friendship they'd had since pretty much Day One of High School. Apparently, that didn't apply to Veronica.

_To Be Continued..._


	7. Chapter 6: Its All Been Done

**A/N: So glad to be maintaining so much support for this fic, and its nice to be writing something lighter and more fun, instead of the angst I sometimes get bogged down in. Here's more! :-)**

_**(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)**_

Chapter 6 - It's All Been Done 

Veronica tried to ignore the stares and glares from her fellow students as she waited in the parking lot, leaning against the side of Logan's yellow X-Terra. They'd survived the first day of fake romance, and that was certainly what it had turned into. Initially they were going to begin hanging out like friends, but the closeness was all too natural to the both of them. Her hand in his, his arm around her shoulders, they did it without thinking, and at least some of Logan's friends had accepted it.

The guys didn't care much, and Veronica wasn't surprised. Dressed like the other 09er girls, she wasn't blind to the fact she had the figure to pull it off. She was blonde and pretty, it was all the boys would care about - Logan scored himself a hottie. Of course, the girls weren't so easy, like Madison Sinclair and her other bitchy friends. Not that Veronica cared much, they didn't have to like her, and she certainly didn't like them. So long as they believed that Logan liked her it was all that mattered.

Then there were Veronica's own friends, Wallace and Mac. She smiled their way as she spotted them approaching and waved as they came over. The thought did occur that she hadn't seen them much today and that it was her own fault, but if this plan was going to work, if she was going to get Duncan back, sacrifices were going to have to be made. Surely Mac and Wallace would understand that.

"Hey, guys" Veronica smiled.

"Y'know you're gonna have a long wait for your boyfriend" Wallace told her, his tone unmistakably cooler on the last word, "Mr Woo kept him back for talking in class"

"He got detention?" the blonde checked, but her friend shook his head.

"I don't think so" he told her, "Just a warning"

"Well, y'know, you don't have to wait around anyway" Mac told Veronica, "You can get a ride home with us"

"Yeah, we were gonna stop off at the computer store on the way, pick up some stuff Mac needs, then maybe go grab something to eat, hang out a while" Wallace explained, as he adjusted his bag on his shoulder, "You should come with"

"I can't" Veronica shook her head, looking and feeling awkward, "It'd be great but I should really wait for Logan" she added, noting that neither Mac nor Wallace looked thrilled at her rejection she continued, "C'mon, guys, you know I have to do this. It's to get Duncan back"

"We know" Mac nodded, "but I thought the idea was to make it seem real, like you and Logan are really a couple" she said with a frown, "If he really cared about you, wouldn't he hang out with your friends just as much as you hang out with his?" she suggested, forcing a smile before she turned to walk away with Wallace right behind her.

Veronica watched them go and replayed her friends words in her head. Mac was right, in fact both of them were. She couldn't let her relationship with Logan, fake or not, interfere with her very real friendships. Mac and Wallace had been there for her a long time, and the last thing she wanted to do was lose them, especially now. Duncan had slipped through her fingers all too easily, though this plan ought to make him want her again.

Right now, Veronica observed, as she watched her ex-boyfriend approach across the parking lot, it was impossible to tell exactly what he was thinking or feeling, but she hoped it was jealousy.

"What are you doing, Veronica?" he asked as he stood before her a moment later.

"Um, would you believe me if I said writing a symphony in my head?" she said with a look, knowing such a joke would've made Duncan at least smile once, now he was apparently just happy to glare at her some more.

"This..." he said with a vague gesture at her clothes, "this isn't you" he said with a shake of his head, which only caused Veronica to return that glare he'd sent her way before.

"Well, maybe you don't know me as well as you thought" she snapped, folding her arms across her chest, "Don't think for a moment, Duncan, that you're an expert on me, just because we dated for a while"

"Pardon me for thinking that we meant something to each other" he said angrily, getting a little too much in her face for Veronica's liking.

"If I meant so much to you, maybe you shouldn't have broken up with me" she told him, pushing off the car and moving to walk away.

"Veronica!" he called her name immediately, stopping her in her tracks, "Don't let Logan Echolls change you" he urged her when she turned back to glance at him.

She didn't reply to that, just headed on into the building in the hopes of finding the man in question so she could get out of here. Though Duncan had made her angry, Veronica couldn't help but smile. She was making her ex obviously jealous already - the plan was definitely working.

* * * * *

The door slammed behind Duncan Kane as he arrived home and Lilly wasn't thrilled as she had to open it again to get in.

"Geez, Donut, what is your deal?" she complained as she stormed in behind him.

"I'm sorry, okay?" he snapped at her, before heading for the stairs.

Clearly, something was bothering him, though Lilly didn't understand what. Though she was pretty sure he was bugged by Neptune High's latest coupling, it made very little sense for him to care, after all, hadn't he broken up with his girlfriend last week? He had no say in who she dated after that.

"Is this about Veronica Mars?" she called after her brother, standing in the main foyer of the house with a hand on her hip like she was striking a pose.

Duncan stopped on the stairs, leaned his weight on the banister rail and turned back to looked down at her.

"Partly, yes" he admitted, "I know I broke up with her, Lil, I know I shouldn't care but..."

"But clearly you do" Lilly rolled her eyes as she moved to the stairs and followed him half way up, "Seriously, little brother, tell the girl if you still want her" she advised, "Okay, so the alumni aren't crazy about me getting my kicks with the pool boy or whatever but at least I got what I wanted" she told him, "What else is being young and rich for?" she shrugged, before breezing past him up the stairs.

Duncan watched her go, thinking about what she had said. The problem was, the reasons he broke up with Veronica had only increased since she started dating Logan. It wasn't that he didn't care about his ex, he really did, but they just had nothing in common anymore and spent so little time together it was hardly worth it. Now she seemed to want to hang off Logan Echolls at every opportunity, doing everything he wanted, just like that. Duncan couldn't seem to get Veronica to participate in anything he liked and that stung a little since they had dated for almost a year where she and Logan had spent no time at all together as far as he knew, at least not for a very long time.

No, his problem was not a change in his feelings for Veronica, only jealousy rising at the sight of her with someone else so soon. That stung to no end, but Duncan was not about to make a fool of himself. If Veronica wanted to be with Logan, then so be it, he didn't need her.

* * * * *

"So, one day down..." Logan said deliberately to break the strange silence that had been present so far on the car journey from school to Veronica's home.

"Hmm" was all the answer she gave, making her pseudo-boyfriend wonder if she'd even heard what he said.

Staring out of the side window of the X-Terra, all quiet and dreamy looking, Logan was starting to worry something was wrong. Sure, today had been kind of a weird day, but all in all he'd found he quite enjoyed himself. It was cool hanging out with her again, strangely familiar and even fun, despite the fact she didn't exactly fit with his 09er friends. She fit with him, that was all that mattered, and a lot more easily than he ever thought she would after all the time they'd spent apart.

"Hey, Ronnie!" he called for her attention, finally getting it apparently as she turned his way with a strange smile on her face that soon turned into a laugh.

"I'm sorry" she shook her head, feeling silly for zoning out like that, "I was just thinking" she explained, "about Duncan" she admitted, not really noticing the grim look that passed over Logan's face then.

He was grateful for that, after all, the whole point of the plan was to get Veronica back with her boyfriend and get Lilly to notice him. Still, Logan couldn't help but think the younger Kane was unworthy of his friend's affection, after the way he had treated her. It clearly didn't occur to him that Lilly was equally unworthy of him.

"You think we're bothering him yet?" Logan asked, wondering why his simple question seemed to amuse Veronica so much.

"Oh, I know we are" she laughed in spite of herself, "He made a huge deal of telling me how 'this isn't you, Veronica'" she mocked his tone in her bad impersonation, and Logan couldn't help but smile at her.

"I suppose he doesn't know you quite as well as he thought" he said, confident that he did know her that well.

This was the real Veronica, she was exactly this person, a strange combination of the little girl who had been his BFF so long, and the young woman she had become since they parted ways prior to High School.

Veronica felt strange as she looked across at Logan, watching him a moment as he drove. Perhaps he was right; he would always know her better than Duncan or anyone else could. It had to be that way after so many years and it gave her kind of a warm glow inside to realise it. Still, now was not the time to be getting mushy over her one time best friend. This whole deal was a means to an end - she wanted Duncan back, and she was well on her way to getting him too, after just in day!

"Anyway" she said eventually, "He's definitely jealous, so Part A of the plan is working. How goes it with Part B?" she asked, glancing at Logan, "Any flashes of the green-eyed monster in Lilly's eyes today?" she checked, assuming he would have seen the blonde in question at some point during the day, even though she herself could hardly recall.

"I think she was lying low, after the whole Weevil thing" he said a little bitterly as he recalled the horrific scene all too clearly - the sight of the woman he adored with her legs wrapped around that worthless Mexican.

"Oh well, it's only Day One" Veronica told him, trying to sound upbeat as Logan pulled the car up outside her house and she hopped out.

"So what did you tell your Dad?" he asked, leaning over to talk to her out of the open window, "About us, I mean" he added when she looked oddly at him for a moment.

There was a semi-awkward pause before Veronica finally answered.

"I told him we're hanging out again" she admitted, "That we're trying at being friends again" she shrugged, moving to walk away then changing her mind as she glanced back and met his eyes, "I don't lie to my Dad, Logan, you know that better than anyone" she smiled, before finally turning towards the house and heading quickly inside.

Logan wouldn't've had a chance to reply even if he'd wanted to. As it was, his only reaction was a weird but joyous smile that crept onto his face as he took in Veronica's words. Putting the car into gear, he checked the mirrors, and noticed his reflection grinning still.

"Friends again" he echoed, as he pulled off the driveway, "Life is good"

_To Be Continued..._


	8. Chapter 7: Outta My Mind

**A/N: Thanx to those who are still reviewing (and to those who are still reading, though thats not as clear to me if you're not reviewing...) and here's the next installment!**

_**(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)**_

Chapter 7 - Outta My Mind

"Remind me again why I'm doing this?"

Veronica was entirely serious in her question as Logan pulled up the car outside Shelley Pomroy's house on the night of her Birthday party. It wasn't that 09er parties were completely foreign to the little blonde who had dated Duncan Kane and ended up at his house for both parties of his own as well as his sister's birthday or similar. Still, this was different, this was her first party on a date with Logan Echolls. Sure, the whole thing was fake, she wasn't really his girlfriend, but she was required to behave as such to keep up their ruse.

It wasn't hard most of the time, and Veronica had even started to feel a little more comfortable at the 09er lunch table or joking around in class with some of the guys and girls that had started to accept her presence after a couple of weeks of being there. Still, this was a whole new ball game. Every one out for themselves and nobody bothering to make nice for the sake of school peace. As the alcohol flowed, truths were often spoken, and Veronica dreaded the abuse she and Logan might have to take for their fake relationship.

"Why are you doing this?" her fake-boyfriend echoed her question as they got out of the car together, "Because for reasons unknown to the rest of us crazy kids, you think Duncan Kane is a God among men and want his undivided attention" he reminded her, rolling his eyes at the very idea of it all.

"Yep, that'll be it" Veronica muttered as she pulled at her dress, feeling self conscious about the flesh she was showing and the make up she'd been uncertain about applying.

"Will you stop doing that?" Logan urged her as he rounded the car and caught her pulling at her outfit still, gently slapping her hands away from her own body, "You look amazing" he told her easily, putting a casual arm around her as they headed for the front door.

"Thank you" she frowned slightly at the compliment that seemed so easily paid and surprisingly genuine, "So, you think Lilly will be here too?" she asked him as they waited to be granted access to the house and the party they could hear already raging beyond the door.

"She wouldn't miss a party" he told her simply, and Veronica believed that was true.

Lilly Kane liked to have fun, in all its possible forms. If there was a chance to dance and drink and flirt, she would be there in her best dress, with a grin on her face. She seemed nice enough to Veronica, most of the time anyway, but she couldn't really figure out why Logan wanted to date her. It seemed to her that girls like Lilly were happy to suck face with any guy that came along, in fact she probably went much further than that with most of them, which begged the question, how could Logan ever trust her, even if he did get the chance to be with her?

Veronica shook her head and let those thoughts go. It wasn't really her business who Logan dated or why, at least it wouldn't be when their plan came to fruition. He'd go back to his world and she'd go back to hers... not that he'd really left his yet, just pulled her into the 09er scene, kicking and screaming. Those two reactions were exactly what Veronica felt like doing as she and Logan walked into the party, he high-fiving his guy friends, her trying to avoid all the nasty looks from her fellow females. Yeah, this was going to be so much fun.

* * * * *

It was a half hour since Logan excused himself from Veronica's presence, promising he'd be just five minutes saying hi to some guys he knew. She'd let him go, believing the promise he made her and feeling stupid standing here alone so long afterwards. She lost sight of Logan all too easily amongst all the heaving bodies. Couples laughed, drank and danced, and as the night drew on got up close and personal behind barely closed doors or just right out in the middle of the dance floor for all to see.

Veronica ended up in the bar area, sat up on a stool, sipping the punch that was guaranteed unspiked since she'd been sat by it from the moment she arrived here; besides, after three cups, she felt just fine.

Now the bowl was empty and her supposed date had still not returned. Add to that the fact it seemed neither Kane was present at this particular soiree and Veronica was really wishing she'd stayed home tonight, as one 09er after another gave her a wide berth and whispered behind their hands about her being there - it was not fun.

"Here" Veronica looked around sharply as someone spoke and shoved a cup into her hand before walking away just as fast as they'd appeared.

Not so stupid as to just drink anything she was handed at a party, Veronica stared into the supposed Coke suspiciously.

"Yeah, you don't wanna drink that" she was soon being told, a mere second after having the thought pass through her head.

"Why?" she asked Troy as he pulled himself up onto the stool beside her, "Is it not the _cool_ _person_ thing to do?" she asked in a perky little cheerleader-esque voice that made him smile with amusement.

"Are you always this persnickety?" he asked curiously.

"No, sometimes I'm persnicketier" he was swiftly told, though there was no malice in her tone at all, "but you still didn't tell me the particular reason why I shouldn't drink this?" she pointed out.

"Madison Sinclair" he said as if it ought to be explanation enough, "She got one of her little cronies to bring that over; she gave you what the girls call a trip to the dentist" he told her, as Veronica's brow furrowed, "She spit in it" he explained further when he realised she didn't understand, "'cause y'know we're eight years old" he rolled his eyes, as Veronica put her untouched drink down on the bar with an appropriately distasteful look.

"Charming" she declared, before turning back to face the crowded party and letting out a sigh that was never meant to escape.

"So, you having fun?" Troy asked her, a pointless question really since it was obvious she was not.

Still, Veronica Mars was a babe, no matter what his so-called friends said about her. She was actually kind of cool too and he didn't mind the idea of getting a little closer to her at all.

"Sure, yeah, fun" she nodded, "kind of... not really" she ended up admitting with an embarrassed laugh as she looked his way, "I just..." she stopped when she over-heard two giggling girls behind her, talking about a subject that was always going to get her attention.

"You mean Wallace Fennell?" one of the bimbos shrieked, "The guy on the basketball team?"

"Yeah, he actually asked me out!" her friend laughed almost maniacally, "I mean please, I know he's kind of cute and all, but he's a total freak!" she declared, as Troy watched a dark cloud pass over Veronica's face, "Have you seen the losers he hangs out with?"

"Wallace Fennell is better than any other guy who will ever ask you out" the blonde suddenly found herself declaring, slamming her hands hard on the bars surface as she turned to face the bitches who would sleight her friend, "Don't ever forget that" she warned them, turning back only so she could get up from her stool.

"Stupid bitch" one of the girls muttered behind her and then Veronica really saw red.

Reaching for her abandoned cup of Coke and spit apparently, she spun around, throwing out her arm and showering the two nasty girls with brown liquid.

"Oops" she said flatly, before slamming the cup down on the bar and turning to walk away.

She got a surprise when she spun straight into Logan who had appeared at some point during the scene that had silenced most of the party goers.

"Veronica..." he began only to be cut off by a stern look and even sterner tone.

"I'm leaving" she said definitely as she pushed past him and through the crowd towards the door.

She was out on the empty driveway before Logan managed to catch up to her, grabbing her by the arm and pulling her back a step.

"Ronnie, come on" he urged her, but she was incensed and not ready to listen to whatever he had to say.

"No, Logan, I won't 'come on'" she yelled as she turned to face him, pulling her elbow from his grasp, "I am not going to stand there and listen to those bitches insult my friends" she said indignantly as she pointed an angry finger back towards the house, "In fact... I can't do this anymore, it's too much" she declared, the fight going out of her some as she realised all this was just too hard and it didn't even seem worth it anymore, "Duncan isn't even here" she pointed out, "and the longer this goes on..." she paused, trying to think how to put all the angry thoughts and feelings into words.

"What?" he prompted, wanting to hear all of this if he was going to hear any at all.

Veronica shook her head, struggling a moment before she exploded again.

"It's all about you, Logan!" she told him frustratedly, "This whole thing is for you" she pointed out as the look on his face made it clear he hadn't even noticed, "I'm bending over backwards to fit in with your friends and your life. What are you doing for me?!" she asked him, knowing his answer would have to be 'nothing'.

So far they'd spent minimal time in school with her friends and no time outside of Neptune High at all. They were always with the 09ers or alone, never doing anything she would want to do, and it was driving her crazy, especially when it seemed as if it were doing no good anyway. As she'd quite rightly pointed out, Duncan wasn't even here to be jealous about her dating Logan, and she hadn't seen much of Lilly either who seemed entirely distracted by the other 09er guys and seemed to disappear not long after Logan and Veronica arrived.

Logan felt bad, which was not something that he was really used to. Hurting people didn't often matter to him, perhaps because there were few people who cared much if they caused him pain. He'd never been taught to care much, but Veronica was one person who had meant a lot to him for a long time. Sure they'd grown apart, but lately, spending time together again, there were moments when he forgot this was all a scam. Now she was hurting, and it was all his fault, causing unfamiliar words to pass his lips as he watched her walk a few steps away from him in the dark.

"I'm sorry" he said behind her, moving to catch up to her again.

"You should be" she threw over her shoulder, turning then to continue speaking and finding he was much closer than she'd thought, "I know you can be a jackass, Logan, but I also know you don't have to be" she told him, in a much less angry tone by now as she looked up at him, "You weren't always like this"

"I know" he said too quietly, knowing all she said was true, knowing they had both changed so much and yet stood here right now, he felt like the little kid he used to be somehow, "I'm sorry, Veronica" he told her, as sincere as she'd seen him in years as he put his hands on her shoulders, "but all the effort we put in, it seems stupid throwing it away now" he told her carefully, mindful of causing another epic outburst with the wrong words.

"I hate this" she growled in the back of her throat as she looked away, and heard the laughter and merriment of the party beyond floating out on the night air.

"So, let's make a deal" he said, putting a hand to her face just briefly to make her look at him again, "Another half hour here, you play the doting girlfriend, make me look even better than I already do" he suggested with a smirk that was pure Logan, "and then... how about we go hang out with your friends for a while?" he offered.

"You're serious?" she checked, a smile creeping across her lips at the very idea.

"I know, it's a new look for me" Logan rolled his eyes at that comment, "but yes, I'm serious" he assured her, as they started to head back inside, his arm around her shoulders.

"You have yourself a deal, Mr Echolls" she grinned up at him, glad for the first time in a long time that they'd reconnected like this, however strange the circumstances.

_To Be Continued..._


	9. Chapter 8: Real Good Time

**A/N: Thanx to all my fab reviewers! So here we are on the other side of the divide - Logan's night out with Veronica's friends :-)**

_**(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)**_

Chapter 8 - Real Good Time

"You sure you're ready for this?" asked Veronica, as Logan drove her from the rich side of Neptune to the not-so-fancy end of town.

"Yes, Veronica, I'm completely prepared to spend time with your friends, who I'm pretty sure are not at all scary" he said in an over-the-top way and with an eye roll that made her shoot him an unimpressed look, "What?" he asked, not sure what else he was meant to say to what he considered kind of a dumb question.

"Ugh, we really should've come here via my house" she complained, as she looked down at the party dress she still wore, "Way to stand out, Veronica" she berated herself, before suddenly realising where they were, "Oh, stop here. This is it" she smiled at the site of the place she knew Wallace and Mac had gone to hang out tonight.

"Game Zone?" Logan asked, looking a little surprised, "This is where you go when you're not with me?"

"Sometimes" she shrugged her response, not yet getting out of the car as she considered how dumb she was going to look heading into such a place in a strappy creamy coloured dress.

"Here" said Logan, as he reached behind his seat and produced a rumpled mess which he handed to Veronica.

As she unravelled it in the semi-dark, the blonde realised it was in fact a sweatshirt of her own that she had obviously left in Logan's car at some point. Sure the bottom of her dress would still be visible, but she'd stand out a little less with her top half better covered.

"Thanks" she smiled, as she pulled it on.

"You're welcome" came his response with a smile that was infectious, before the two of them got out of the car, Logan checking twice that the car was properly locked and alarmed.

Veronica was barely paying attention as she headed inside, grabbing his hand out of necessity more than anything else as they cleared the doors and were met by quite a crowd of people. Still, it didn't take her long to spot her friends, sat on a couch in the far corner and concentrating hard on their latest game.

Dragging Logan behind her, Veronica walked over and stood silent behind the couch, watching the game until suddenly the enemy was blown sky high, leaving Wallace and Mac the victors.

"Ownage!" she yelled, making them jump and almost throwing them completely off their high five as they turned around to find not just Veronica there but also Logan with his arm around her shoulders.

"Hey, guys" Mac said a little awkwardly, wondering first how the unlikely couple had come to be here on the night of a big 09er bash, and second why Logan looked so comfortable holding onto Veronica this way, despite the fact they were not exactly in a place where it would matter right now.

"What's up, V?" asked Wallace as she rounded the couch, encouraging Logan to come sit too, "You get bored of champagne and cake already?"

"I just kept thinking how I could be here whoopin' your sorry ass, and strangely the 09er fun just lost its appeal" she told him, looking perfectly serious as she squeezed in beside him.

"So... this is what you guys do, huh?" Logan said to Mac as he propped himself on the arm at her end of the couch.

"Sometimes" she nodded, barely looking his way at all, "Other times we party, drink, take drugs, sacrifice a few goats..." she said as if she were perfectly serious, before glancing up at Logan with a smile creeping across her face, "We're normal people" she said then, trying not to laugh at his expression, "Just because we don't have your money, we're not that different"

Logan knew this already, of course, or knew that it should have occurred to him. How the other half lived seemed pretty cool so far, he realised, as he watched Mac reset the game on the screen in front of them.

"So, trying to keep my manners and my money in check..." he said then, as he reached for spare console lying on the table in front of them, "Winner of this game buys the next round of sodas?" he offered, catching Wallace and Veronica's attention too now.

"Works for me, man" his fellow male smiled, "Free stuff always tastes better"

"Oh, fighting talk" Logan noted as he got comfortable and waited for the game to start.

Veronica looked across at him then, the two sharing a look just before the screen took their attention. That smile she sent him then made this entire evening worthwhile to Logan, though he didn't say a word about it, and right now he couldn't care less what he might be missing at the 09er party they had left behind.

* * * * *

It was getting pretty wild at Shelley Pomroy's house. It would be called the party to end all parties, of that its guests were sure, at least til the next big blow out came along. The booze had flowed freely, as well as some other substances that really shouldn't've, leading to situations that were bound to be regretted by the morning. Still, right now there was dancing and laughing and fooling around, with no worries about how to face it all in the harsh light of day.

Amongst all this, the girl who was usually at the epicentre of such a swirling mass of fun, was instead slumped over the edge of the bar with another drink in her hands, trying to get drunk enough to feel like dancing, but for once in her life she just didn't.

"Hey, Lil" said Troy as he dropped down onto a stool beside her, "It's not like you to be alone and sad at a party"

"I'm not sad" she snapped, turning her head too fast and almost throwing herself off the stool - that at least made her laugh a little.

"I didn't mean it that way" he assured her as he caught her arm and helped her to sit down again, "I've just never seen you like this before"

"Well, see Troy, this is what happens when you date the pool boy type" she laughed at her own stupid antics, putting a hand to her head that spun just a little with too many thoughts and way too much booze, "I thought I'd be so cool, messing around with the guy from the wrong side of the tracks" she shook her head, "but apparently I'm the bitch that cheated on Logan, even though we weren't dating and now he's with Veronica Mars!" she said voice rising as she made her point, "Worse than that, I can't even get my guy to show up to a party with me, so... sucks to be Lilly right now"

"C'mon, Lil, that's crazy" Troy told her, putting a hand on her bare arm, "You're the hottest girls here, and Navarro's an idiot for not coming with you tonight" he told her, staring into her eyes and for a few moments making her feel even more giddy than anything else.

"You're right" she said, the confidence she almost never lacked resurfacing quickly as another cute rich guy reminded her just how perfect she'd always believed herself to be, "Hey, screw him!" she declared as she hopped down from her stool with determination in her eyes.

"Or not, that was kind of the point" muttered Troy to himself as Lilly threw herself head first into dancing the night away, leaving him alone... again.

* * * * *

When the four friends, both old buddies and the newly acquainted, grew tired of betting bottles of soda against each other on the video games they played, Mac suggested all or nothing on one final round, the loser buying a late snack for the group at the diner across the street. Logan had opened his mouth to protest, citing his greater fortune as an unfair factor, but one look from Veronica silenced him on that subject before he even started.

So Mac, Veronica, Wallace and Logan fought it out, long and hard until a victor was found, and the lowest score went to...

"Logan Echolls, come on down" his pseudo-girlfriend laughed, giving him a thumbs down to match her words.

"Man, that was awesome" her friend declared, putting down his controller on the table, "but you sure you didn't lose on purpose?" he checked, just a little wary of Logan still.

The guy seemed cool, and he and V used to be friends so he couldn't be all bad. Still, Wallace had more reasons to doubt than trust him, as far as he could see.

"Hey, trust me, man. I play to win" Logan said definitely, as Veronica nodded her agreement with that statement.

She remembered times many years ago when she and Logan would spend hours at his house, lying on their stomachs on the thick carpeted floors of the Echolls house, having massive battles on Nintendo Gameboys. No matter how much she hated losing, and she often did, she knew Logan would never go easy on her, and she didn't really want him to. He made her a better player, as she was now.

"Hey, Earth to Mars" Mac said, snapping her fingers in front of her friends face as the group moved away from the couch, picking up jackets and bags on the way, "This is the part where we eat... for free" she added the last two words with a small but proud smile in Logan's general direction.

"At your service, Miss Mac" he half bowed, making them all laugh as they headed outside and then across the street to the diner.

Veronica almost forgot how the evening had started, at Shelly Pomroy's party where she felt so out of place. Here she was at home, in familiar surroundings with her best friends. It wasn't at all unpleasant, bringing Logan back into her life like this, and she had to remind herself once in a while that this was all fake, that he wasn't really her boyfriend, especially when they sat down on one side of the table, opposite Wallace and Mac, Logan's arm going along the back of the chair behind her on automatic.

They talked about everything and nothing as they ate, and it wasn't long before Veronica's best friends and the boy who used to hold that title, were getting along so well it was almost as if they had always hung out together like this. Wallace expected Echolls to be pompous about his wealth and a real ass, but like this he was different to the reputation he seemed to have in school. He was a decent guy and he sure seemed to like V a lot still.

Mac noticed that more than anything else. The way Logan kept looking at Veronica suggested to her he more than liked her. Sure, he could just be a good actor, the talent could easily be hereditary after all, but there was no-one here to suspect anything, no-one to act a part for. When Logan sat staring at Veronica as she told a crime fighting tale or looked intently across the table as Wallace spoke of basketball or something, Mac saw a light in Logan's eyes and an almost undetectable smile on his lips that told her something more than simple friendship existed here, that this fake relationship might turn out to be something way more than that.

If further proof were needed, Mac were about to get it, along with everyone else in the diner. Veronica had excused herself to go to the bathroom, and caught herself smiling in the mirror as she washed her hands. Tonight was going so well now, it was hard to believe she started it so nervous and all. Logan was getting along great with Wallace and Mac, and she just felt so comfortable, despite the odd mix of the group she was here with .

Exiting the bathroom, her mind on other things, it was hardly surprising she walked straight into a couple coming the other way.

"I'm sorry, I... Duncan" she reacted with surprise at the sight of him, especially since he seemed to be holding hands with Meg Manning.

"Hey, Veronica" he said, shifting a little awkwardly, "Um, you know Meg, right?" he introduced just to be sure.

"Hi" the other blonde greeted her, clearly embarrassed to have been caught out with a friend's ex.

They were _kind of_ friends anyway, Veronica decided in her head, after all, of all the 09er girls, Meg had been the most decent to her, at least treated her like a human being where so many others had failed to do so. Still, seeing Meg with Duncan made Veronica feel just a little sick. This whole plan with Logan, it was aimed to make her ex jealous, make him want her back, and instead she was now seeing that she'd managed to push him into the arms of another.

Squirming awkwardly, all Veronica wanted to do was run, but Logan had other ideas it seemed. He'd spotted them from across the room, and seen how awful Ronnie clearly felt when confronted by Neptune High's latest and cutest couple. He couldn't see her hurt like that, not without some kind of revenge being had. This, he told himself, was why he strode on over there, and did what he did next.

"There you are" he said from behind Veronica, immediately reaching for her wrist to spin her into his arms and cover her lips with his, kissing her long and deep til neither of them could breathe.

Meg bit her lip to keep from giggling at the major PDA that had come as a surprise, but Duncan could do nothing but stare. That was _his_ Veronica, battling tongues with Logan Echolls, the unworthy jackass! Of course, immediately the thought crossed his mind another voice in his brain contradicted it. Veronica wasn't his girlfriend anymore, he couldn't be jealous of this, but he felt a pain inside that suggested he was.

"Let's go" he muttered, tugging on Meg's hand and leading her quickly away.

Certain they were gone, and unable to breathe anymore, Logan let up with the kissing but kept his arms around Veronica still. She stared up at him with a smile on her face he was glad to have put there, maybe a little too glad...

"And here was me thinking I'd be getting the Oscar for my portrayal of preppy 09er girl" she giggled, "That was..." she began, realising she had absolutely no word to describe the moment she'd just shared with Logan.

"Yeah, well" he replied, feeling just a little embarrassed now the intense moment was over, "Veronica..." he was going to continue but never got a chance as Mac and Wallace appeared beside them.

"Man, that is not good for my stomach when I just eaten" Wallace declared with a wink as he slapped Logan on the back.

The moment was over, gone but not forgotten. Nope, Veronica wouldn't be forgetting that kiss for a very long time.

_To Be Continued..._


	10. Chapter 9: Sugar

**A/N: Thanx for all the continued support in the form of fab reviews :-) Now, here we have a couple of outsider views on the odd LoVe relationship...**

_**(For disclaimer, etc - see chapter 1)**_

Chapter 9 - Sugar

"Okay, either that's the funniest English essay ever, or your homework is taking a back-seat to YouTube" said Veronica from her place lying at the bottom of Mac's bed, trying to study, whilst her friend sat leant against her headboard with her laptop on her knees.

Mac said nothing, just bit her lip and made a point of not giggling anymore. She'd hardly been aware she was doing it really, but now she had been told she knew she should stop. Veronica wouldn't understand if she tried to explain what was amusing her. The blonde had a suspicious mind and...

"RichieRich?" she said with a frown as she appeared over Mac's shoulder, peering at the screen that contained no homework, but instead a page full of IM convo.

"Okay, so... studying now" the brunette said quickly shutting the lid of her laptop and folding her arms on top of it.

Veronica looked less than impressed at the action and lack of explanation. Sure, Mac didn't have to explain anything to her, not really, but she wanted to know what was going on all the same.

"I know I haven't been around so much lately, Mac" she said, looking suddenly guilty, "but I thought we were still friends enough that we didn't have secrets..."

"We don't" the other girl quickly assured her, "I mean, this is kind of a secret, but I didn't mean to keep it from you, at least, not entirely" she rambled some as she tried to explain as best she could what she meant to say, only it just refused to come out right.

Stopping herself before she made a complete mess of this, Mac took a deep breath and started over.

"I met a guy, online" she told Veronica, continuing fast before the blonde had a chance to open her mouth and interrupt, "and I know what you're gonna say, that it's dangerous, and he's probably some psycho pervert or something" she spoke exactly the words her friend had her mind and they both knew it, "but Veronica, he's really not" she told her definitely.

Veronica looked pained, itching to run off on a speech about the dangers of meeting people on the Internet and forming relationships. So many bad things happened, and she couldn't bear to see Mac hurt in any way at all. There were so many ways for this to end badly, and yet the look on her friend's face right now begged her to be kind and not make this good thing in her life into a bad one.

"Okay" she sighed, "I'll put my suspicious streak on hold a few minutes and listen" she said, though her expression was far from happy.

Still, Mac smiled, glad to be able to share a secret she'd kept too long, only because she knew what Veronica's reaction was bound to be. If she were willing to be a girly-friend first and suspicious Sheriff's daughter second for just a few minutes, that would do for Mac.

"His screenname is RichieRich" she explained, giddy as Veronica had ever seen her as she re-opened her laptop and pointed at the screen where the IM conversation had been taking place, "and he only knows me as BlueBell. We never shared real names, photographs, actual locations, nothing like that" she said with a definite sweep of her hand, "It's a secure connection, scrambled line in fact, he can't hack back and find me" she proved by bringing up various screens to make her point, though Veronica understood not a one of them, "It's one-hundred percent safe" she assured Veronica who was just now starting to look a little less worried and sceptical.

"Well, you are the computer whiz, Q" she sighed at length, after all, she couldn't believe anyone would get through Mac's firewalls and such, even if they wanted to try.

She also knew Mac well enough to know that if she ever did want to meet this guy in person it'd be in a public place and with herself as back-up.

"Thank you for the vote of confidence, Bond" the brunette giggled too girlishly, making Veronica do the same.

Mac was never like this about anything, but then she'd never really had a boyfriend, or even a date that Veronica could recall. She so didn't want to burst her bubble by being all down on her 'relationship' and so did her best to be supportive for now.

"So, what do we know about this guy?" she asked, feeling weird about it but trying to be open minded as Mac grinned and quickly typed a message telling 'RichieRich' she'd be right back.

"He's so sweet, and funny, and... I don't know we just get along so well" she said happily, and Veronica soon found the smile her friend wore was entirely contagious.

"Sounds good so far" she admitted, "and hey, added bonus to an online boyfriend" she said with sudden realisation, "you can just close the lid whenever he gets on your nerves, and you never have to think about him ever again" she laughed at her own semi-joke but Mac only rolled her eyes.

"Like I'd want to do that" she said with shake of her head, "RichieRich is pretty much the perfect guy for me"

"Wouldn't the perfect guy be, y'know, _actual_ rather than _virtual_?" asked Veronica, mindful of upsetting her friend but knowing that a real relationship would be better for her in so many ways, at least she thought so.

"Please, tell me you're kidding" Mac's reponse proved she wasn't so sure, "An actual guy would _actually_ see me and _actually _talk to me" she said, as if that were not already obvious, and in fact Veronica's own point, "Virtual is better. I handle virtual way better" insisted Mac as she looked at her computer screen and nowhere else.

Veronica felt immediately bad. It was criminal that Mac didn't believe she was good enough for a 'real' guy to like. She was one of her best friends and totally worthy of anyone's love and adoration, as far as Veronica was concerned, and she would not be told otherwise.

"Mac, you are totally attractive and sweet and everything a guy should want" she said definitely, even now making the poor girl blush at the sound of any kind of compliment - she just wasn't used to it.

"Maybe I should be" she shrugged, "but I'm not, and we can't all date Logan Echolls for a dare" she said, glancing from the computer to Veronica and back with a sly smile on her face now.

"It's not a dare, it's a scam" her friend pointed out the distinct difference, though she knew it didn't sound any better.

"Which makes it much classier" Mac rolled her eyes as she teased her friend, "He seems to be a pretty good actor though, or maybe he just likes you" she hinted, wondering if Veronica had noticed the spark between herself and her old friend, or whether it took the outsiders perspective that Mac had to really see it.

"We used to be friends, a long time ago" was all Veronica would admit to, "and yeah, it's cool hanging out, but it is what it is, Mac, and it is a scam, no more and no less" she shrugged, but Mac couldn't help but think the expression Veronica wore now was just this side of disappointed at the sound of her own words.

"To get Duncan back" she threw in, wondering if that would change the look on the blonde's face but it didn't seem too, and she boldly tried something else, "Veronica, I know you love Duncan and everything" she said, pushing her laptop aside a moment, "but if you could have any guy, like a dream guy, what would he be like?" she asked curiously, wondering what kind of person Veronica would describe.

It was sneaky. Asking her to pick between Duncan and Logan would lead to her saying the former rather than the latter, just out of habit or reflex, Mac surmised. If she asked her for a description of an imaginary person, it would give her friend the chance to decide in her own head if Veronica dreamed of either boy, a combination of both, or someone else entirely in her heart.

"When did this turn from a study session to a slumber party?" Veronica asked with suspicion, a eyebrow raised as she looked up from the text book she had intended to get back to eventually.

"Five minutes ago when you poked your nose into my Internet-based love life?" her friend said smartly at which Veronica smiled.

"Touche" she said, closing her book and turning over to lay on her back, staring at the ceiling, "Okay, my perfect guy..." she began, apparently thinking very seriously about the answer she was about to give, "Um, first off, taller than me, which isn't hard I guess, but I couldn't deal with shorter" she admitted honestly, "Next, sense of humour, got to have that, can't go through life without laughs" she nodded definitely, "My guy would be genuine, sweet, fun... not afraid of anything. He'd follow me into a crisis as fast as into a theme park" she said, making Mac laugh lightly at the phrasing, "Honesty is important, he'd tell me if I looked dumb or said something stupid, so I wouldn't make the same mistake twice" she continued, somehow drifting from the would-be tense to something decidedly more present and definite as she went on, "He offers me his jacket when it's cold, puts his arm around me casually like it's just how things are supposed to be, and somehow knows what I want before I even ask" she explained, eyes closing of their own accord and Mac wondered if she saw Logan in her minds eye as she went on because it certainly didn't sound much like Duncan from where she was sitting, "When he kisses me, it's not fireworks and hot lava, it's just warm and definite and a moment I'd happily drown in. He knows me, inside and out, and what he doesn't love, he can live with, no questions asked or changes to be made" she said with a grin, "There he is, my perfect guy" she said, cracking one eye open then to see what Mac's reaction would be.

"Wow" she said immediately, "He sounds amazing"

"Yeah" Veronica agreed, rolling her eyes when, "if he were real"

"Maybe he is" her friend shrugged, though she didn't explain her comment and was not asked to as the computer made an annoying beeping sound catching the attention of both of them.

"Somebody's missing you" said Veronica as she leaned in next to Mac and spotted the messages on the screen, RichieRich asking where BlueBell had gone and why, "I should head home anyway" the blonde decided as she moved to gather up her things.

Mac was about to argue when she realised that it was likely not her conversation with her Internet-boyfriend that was causing Veronica to bolt. It was more likely the fact they both knew that when she described some perfect boyfriend, it was way closer to Logan Echolls dating resume than Duncan's own.

"Be careful" Veronica warned her friend with a smile before she left her alone.

"You too" responded Mac, even though the blonde was already gone from her sight, both of them knowing they were playing dangerous games in their own way

* * * * *

"Logan, sweetheart" Lynn tried again to get her son's attention as he sat on the couch, staring unseeing at the opposite wall, "Honey, are you okay?" she checked as he glanced at her, apparently unaware of her presence in the room until a moment ago, despite the fact she'd been talking to him for fully ten minutes.

"Yeah, sure, I'm good" he assured her with a smile that was so wide it threatened to split his face in two, "What's up, Mom?"

"What's up is that you were in a complete world of your own, Logan" she pointed out, though she looked less worried about that now she'd seen the sunny smile appear on her son's face, "Is something on your mind?"

"Maybe" he shrugged as he got up and walked past his mother, kissing her on the cheek as he went into the kitchen area and searched for a can of soda, "Actually, I was just thinking about the other night, hanging out with Veronica and her friends... we had a good time" he explained, leaving out just a few important details.

The greatest omission was the kiss he and his ex best friend had shared. Sure, he'd started it for show in front of Duncan and Meg, but he was pretty sure when Veronica began to kiss him back that it couldn't all be a lie, on either side. He hadn't really let his mind wander too much on him and Veronica getting close, at least not til this morning when he'd woken up from a pretty vivid sexy dream involving the blonde in question. Now he couldn't get it out of his head, and it was making him wonder about a few things.

"Sweetie, you know I'm glad you and Veronica Mars are friends again" his mother told him, making him grant her another winning smile, evidentally pleased she approved, "but... I just hope you two aren't going to make things complicated between the two of you" she said, looking worried suddenly, fingers lacing and unlacing almost nervously in front of her.

"What do you mean?" Logan frowned a little as he brought the recently-popped can of Cola to his lips.

"I just want you to realise that... sex changes everything" she said very suddenly and bluntly, so much so that Logan's mouthful of Coke shot straight over the top of the can and all over the counter top before him in an almighty burst of spray.

"Geez, Mom, way to throw a curveball" he spluttered, trying to wipe his face with the back of his hand, as she shook her head and moved to grab the roll of kitchen towel across from him.

"I'm sorry, Logan, but... I worry" she admitted, helping him clean up himself and the counter, "I meant what I said, I'm glad you and Veronica are friends again, but I'm just concerned, that if you too get close, get involved in a romantic way..."

"Would that be so awful, Mom?" asked Logan, his question genuine, though he knew it shouldn't be.

This was all a scam, to get Duncan interested in Veronica again and win Lilly over into his waiting arms. Unfortunately, Logan seemed to completely lose sight of the plan sometimes, content as he always was just in the company of his old best friend, who had grown up into an amazing young woman since they stopped living in each others pockets.

"I just don't think you and Veronica should be more than friends" was all Lynn would say, and whilst Logan suspected there was more to it than motherly concern, he didn't get a chance to ask as her cell rang and she excused herself to take an important call.

Logan watched her go and shook his head. Most likely his Mom was just worried he'd lose a good friendship with a great girl by dating her and it not working out. He knew it could happen, but never to him and Veronica. This time they were for keeps, as friends or more, he wasn't certain yet, but come what may, he was not going to lose her from his life a second time.

_To Be Continued..._


	11. Chapter 10: Get Rid Of That Girl

**A/N: Thank you for the continued supportive reviews - always make me smile :-)**

_**(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)**_

Chapter 10 - Get Rid Of That Girl

If anyone had told Veronica a few months ago that she could easily fit in amongst 09ers or any of the social cliques at Neptune High, she would've laughed in their faces. She had been a misfit of some kind or other her whole life, and was happy to be so. Wallace and Mac were not even so totally removed as she was, having the basketball team and the computer club to call their own. Veronica had only really had her two best friends, and her boyfriend, Duncan, though that was over for now.

Thinking of this would have reminded Veronica the point of why she was sat here now between Logan Echolls and Troy Vandegraff, across from Carrie Bishop and Susan Knight, all of them laughing and talking like the best of friends. As it was, her mind was not so otherwhere as it sometimes could be. Nope, today she was focused on only the conversation around her and the shocking realisation that she was actually having fun!

Some of the 09ers were not quite the monsters she thought, though they all tended to think a little too much of themselves and their cash. In the clothes that Logan had bought her, talking about movies and homework and other things these people could relate to without a problem, Veronica found she fitted in pretty well, almost too well, though that wasn't even occurring to her right now.

"So, V" said Troy, turning to her, "You going to be joining us Saturday?"

"The beach party, right?" she checked, glancing between him and Logan who nodded his head.

She wasn't entirely sure if he was confirming she had the right event or if he were trying to encourage her to respond positively to the question. Logan wanted to go to this party, and he wanted to go with Veronica. What worried him slightly was that he wasn't thinking about the scam to get Lilly back, or keeping up appearances for the 09ers sake. No, Logan was just thinking about how much it would suck to be stuck at an all day party without his best friend, because that's what Veronica used to be and what she had become again, all too easily.

"Of course we'll be there" he answered for her, "Right, sugarpuss?" he smirked her way, knowing she hated the pet names and lovey stuff.

"Where else would we be, honey?" she shot back with a similar look, smirk shifting to a smile even as his arm crept around her back and she turned back to Troy, "Should be fun"

"Always is" he nodded his agreement, "I'm feeling the need to raise the roof" he said with complimentary over-the-top actions that made the girls giggle.

"I wonder if Lily will bring the Neanderthal?" Carrie rolled her eyes at the very idea, "I don't know what she thinks she's doing with him"

"Committing social suicide?" threw in Susan with a look, "The only thing worse would be if she was dating a geek or something"

"And yet the world still loves her" said Veronica, looking sideways at Logan and finding his head was down, he couldn't meet her eyes.

Yes, the world would always love Lilly Kane, no matter what she did, but so would Logan, she assumed. Veronica wasn't sure why that stung a little, it wasn't as if she were really his girlfriend, though she seemed to have to remind herself of that more and more often of late.

"Ugh, Veronica" Carrie made a face akin to disgust as she got the blondes attention then looked right by her, "I think your _friends_ are trying to get your attention" she sneered, as the blonde followed her gaze and saw Wallace waving her over to a table that contained just him and Mac.

Veronica bit her tongue, determined not to spoil things. She glanced Logan's way and forced a smile.

"I'll be right back" she assured him, leaning in to plant a brief kiss on his lips, for appearances sake only, she told herself, before getting up and walking away towards her friends.

"Hey, who's this?" said Wallace with a bit of a smirk on his face, "It can't be Veronica, actually coming over to spend time with the lowly people on her lunch break" he teased her, though he didn't seem very mad about her spending time with the 09ers.

"Not funny, Wallace" she told him, though she smiled nonetheless.

For a while it had been awkward, Veronica spending time with the 09ers and not always with Wallace and Mac, but now she was finding a better balance. Her friends were mostly understanding about what she was trying to do, and she appreciated it. Not that they weren't disappointed to not spend as much time with V as they used to, but both tried not to mention it too much for fear of making things worse.

"So, I don't want you to get mad, but I have something to tell you" said Mac then, making Veronica frown a little, concerned as to what she was about to be told, "RichieRich wants to meet me" her friend explained, watching the surprise and darkness both cross Veronica's features.

"Mac, you know I..." she began, only for Wallace cut in with an interruption.

"We know what you're gonna say" he assured her, "but it's cool. I'm going with her, it's gonna be broad daylight, a public place" he promised.

"Plus we were hoping you might want to come along" Mac smiled, "You can even bring Mr Sparky, I won't mind" she said, speaking of the trusty taser both Veronica's friends knew she always carried.

Veronica couldn't really argue with the logic, though she wasn't totally happy about Mac wanting to meet some guy she met online who could be anybody, she respected the fact it was her choice. Besides, she was smart enough to take her friends with her and to do this in a public place in the daytime. There was very little to argue over.

"When's the big day?" she asked, smiling in spite of herself, only because Mac looked so giddy and excited by the whole situation.

"Saturday" she enthused, and at that news the blonde's face fell.

"Oh, Mac, I'm sorry" she apologised immediately, "I can't make Satudary. I have this 09er beach bash thing..."

"C'mon, V" Wallace urged her, "Like you couldn't blow that off for Mac's big date?"

"You know I can't, Wallace" she shook her head sadly, "I can't mess this up for Logan or for me" she explained, even as a dark shadow passed over her best friend's face.

"Yeah, sure, I get it" he said snippily, "You and Logan, gotta stick together, gotta make your little scam work out. Nevermind your friends, we don't matter" he shook his head as he got up from the table and walked away, "I'll see ya later, Mac"

"Wallace..." Veronica called behind him, then when she realised he wouldn't stop or come back, turned to look at Mac, "You understand, right?" she asked her, not encouraged by the sad look she received.

"Sure, of course" she said, though she was unconvincing and without another word, closed the lid on her laptop and walked away.

Left alone at the table, Veronica felt awful. She hadn't meant to alienate her friends like this, she'd tried her hardest not to, but she couldn't miss the beach party this weekend. She and Logan had talked about it, the Kanes were definitely going to be there, and time was sliding by so fast that Prom was almost upon them. Now was not the time to lessen their efforts.

"Hey" she heard above her and looked up against the sun's rays to see Logan standing beside her, "You okay?" he checked as he sat down.

"Honestly?" she said, shaking her head, and unknowingly breaking his heart just a little bit.

Her pain was his pain, it was part of the reason the rift between them had occurred in the first place, though now was hardly the time to bring that up. Logan was more than happy to have Veronica back in his life, in whichever shape or form she wanted to take. For now it was fake girlfriend, but in the future, he hoped they at least managed to stay friends when all this was over. A part of him thought maybe they could be more, but that would make this whole scam kind of bogus, so he tried to leave those thoughts well alone. He wanted Lilly, of course he did, and this plan would see to it that he got her, plus Veronica should make Duncan jealous enough that she'd get him back too; everyone a winner. Unfortunately, right now, Veronica seemed to feel like she'd lost a lot more than she could ever gain.

"It shouldn't be this hard" she sighed, "I want to keep my friends, but I also want Duncan back... Is that so wrong?"

"Since the general theory of my life so far is 'I want it, I get it', I'm maybe not the right person to ask" he joked, at least glad to see her smile a little in response.

"Why can't things be simple, like when we were kids?" she complained at the injustice of growing up, letting her head fall forward onto his chest.

"I don't know, Ronnie" he said, putting his arms around her and rubbing her back, "but hey, growing up isn't all bad" he told her as she looked up at him now, faces so close he could just move an inch and they'd be kissing.

"Explain" she said, as their eyes met and Logan lost all sense of words, reason, and reality.

His mind blank save for the urge to kiss her, and so he closed the tiny gap between them, his lips meeting Veronica's own in a sweet kiss. She was perhaps a little startled by the move, but went with it assuming he had a good reason. Veronica's eyes fell shut of their own accord as the kiss deepened and went on almost too long.

"Guys, get a room" said a voice behind them, and Veronica cracked one eye open to see Lilly stood right behind Logan now.

"Hey, Lil" she smiled awkwardly as they parted, and the thought occurred that somehow he must've known she was there hence the kiss, but with her approaching from behind, that didn't make all that much sense, "What's up?"

"I was just checking you two were gonna be at the party Saturday" she told the pair as Logan turned to look at her too, keeping one arm firmly around his 'girlfriend', "It's gonna be an awesome bash"

"Wouldn't miss it" he told her, glancing at Veronica then, "Would we, honeybear?"

"Of course not, lemon drop" she confirmed, as Lilly rolled her eyes.

"Get over it, Donut" she called over their heads to her brother who glared from a table cross the quad, "You're gonna move on, so is your ex" she sighed as she wandered in Duncan's general direction.

Logan and Veronica were both left feeling just a little disappointed that their plan didn't seem to be working too well, but not quite as much as either of them thought they would somehow.

_To Be Continued..._


	12. Chapter 11: Endless Summer Days

**A/N: Okay, time for 09er party time and a heart-to-heart that seemed odd when I started writing it, but I think it came out pretty well... please let me know what you think as you always do - thanx ;-)**

_**(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)**_

Chapter 11 - Endless Summer Days

As Veronica got out of Logan's yellow X-terra and looked across to the beach where the 09er party was in full swing, she sighed. It wasn't that she hated the idea of being here, actually it had the potential to be at least a little fun, but she did feel bad, knowing she'd ditched her best friends one more time.

On top of that, Veronica was kind of confused. This whole scam with Logan felt like it was getting out of hand. Though she loved being his friend again, spending time hanging out and all, sometimes she worried that both of them were losing focus of the big picture. Her mind wandered, and sometimes the way Logan looked at her suggested his did too. She tried not to dwell on it, but Veronica just couldn't shake the feeling that maybe this whole plan wasn't worth it, maybe Duncan and Lilly weren't worth it, but maybe what could potentially be between her and Logan was...

"You okay?" he asked her as he rounded the car and appeared at her side, immediately noticing the look on her face that wasn't entirely happy.

"Sure, yeah" she nodded, forcing a smile and he knew it, but Logan figured he was safer not mentioning it as the rest of the 09ers had already noticed their arrival and were waving madly at them, "Once more unto the _beach_, dear friends" Veronica muttered as Logan's arm fell naturally around her shoulders and they headed down to join the party.

"Hey, man" Troy greeted his friend with a high five, "Veronica, glad you came" he smiled brightly at her, an expression she gladly returned.

"Like I'd miss this for the world" she lied just a little, though honestly she had no problem with this guy.

He was one of the few who really didn't seem to care that she was poor, snarky, and Duncan's ex. Most of the girls had let her be just because it wasn't worth the fight, and the guys didn't mind an extra blonde betty in their gang. Veronica still had very few people here she would ever dream to consider friends, but Troy might just be one. Before, she had thought of Meg as an ally too, but that had gone sailing on out the window the moment Duncan had started dating the other blonde.

"Hi, Veronica" she smiled awkwardly as she appeared, hand in hand with the ex in question whom Veronica planned to have back before too long.

"Meg, Duncan. Great to see you" she faked a grin as she grabbed Logan's hand and pulled him to her, away from the conversation he was in the middle of with Casey and Dick, "Logan, isn't it great to see Duncan and Meg?" she urged him to agree with her.

"Sure, yeah. We don't see enough of the D-man these days" he lied, actually glad the guy had stayed out of the way.

They used to be friends, Logan and Duncan, of a type anyway, but never really close. Now, if Logan had to pick love or hate for the guy it'd be the latter, though he would never admit the real reason as to why. The fake answer would be that he didn't like the fact the Kane boy had dumped Ronnie and consequently hurt her. The real reason had a little more green-eyed monster involved, though Logan would barely even admit that inside his own head.

"Logan!" a girlish voice squealed too loudly and Veronica winced at the sound as they looked across the beach and saw Gia bounding towards them, "I'm so glad you're here" she said dramatically, apparently oblivious to the fact that Veronica was there, or at least pretending to be, "You just have to teach me how to surf today. Nobody else will do it, and I know you'll be the best teacher" she said, fluttering her eyelids.

"I don't know, Gia" he shook his head, "I kind of wanted to spend some time with my girlfriend" he said, looking the other way and smiling at Veronica in such a way that she really could've believed he meant that.

Maybe he did. It wasn't so crazy for him to want to be with her rather than Gia, but Veronica had to keep reminding herself quite sternly inside her head that the love part was fake, that she wasn't really his girlfriend.

"You can spend all the time you want with her any other day" huffed Gia, "I only want to borrow him for a few minutes" she said, looking to the blonde with a pout that reminded Veronica of a small child who's mother would not buy them the toy they wanted.

"I'm fine with it" she conceded, much to Logan's horror, and it was worth the look on his face right now to let him out of her sight a few minutes, or so Veronica thought, "Like she said, Logan, we have all the time in the world to spend together, and you always were the best surfer around here" she told him, that part as honest as anything she'd ever said and he knew it from the look in her eyes.

"I promise not to be gone long" he said turning into her, the two of them all too aware of how many eyes were upon them - the necessity to sell this never did go away.

Veronica went up on her toes and pressed her lips firmly against Logan's own, only a little startled when his arm went around her and held her tight as he continued the kiss longer than she'd meant for it to last.

"Have fun" she said, almost breathless but smiling nonetheless when they parted.

"Doubtful" he rolled his eyes, as Gia grabbed his hand and made to drag him away. "C'mon, Logan! I want to convince Lilly to learn too" she told him.

Logan smiled at the thought of getting Miss Kane in the water, putting her life and her semi-naked body in his hands. It was strange though that mixed in with the excitement was a good helping of guilt. It was crazy, he and Veronica weren't really dating, so why did he feel as bad as he might if they were genuinely in love?

* * * * *

Veronica liked to watch people. You could tell a lot, her father had taught her, just by observing the way people behave when they think nobody is paying attention. She hadn't intended to spend the majority of the party people-watching, of course, but then the 'few minutes' Logan had intended to spend teaching Gia and Lilly to surf had turned into a couple of hours all too easily.

Troy had talked to her for a little while until the guys had convinced him to go play volleyball. Though Veronica had been invited too, she knew it was best to say no. A ball in the face was never fun and she had no doubt her personal injury was on the agenda of more than one 09er girl.

So here she was, alone at a party again, and watching the people that surrounded her doing what they did best - have a party. What surprised Veronica most was that one particular party animal didn't seem to be having anything like a good time. Dick Casablancas had not ventured out into the water to surf, he hadn't wanted to join in the volleyball or any other suggested activity. In fact, the only thing Veronica could say she'd really seen him do was sit on a rock and nurse the same one beer. That was strange in itself, because honestly she would have expected him to have cleared a coolbox of cans by himself already.

Suddenly, the object of Veronica's study was on his feet, out of view of his girlfriend as he grabbed up his jacket and threw it on, pulling on his sneakers next and then heading up the beach, past Veronica and towards where the cars were parked.

"Dick!" he stopped at the sound of his name being bellowed, "Where are you going?" Madison demanded to know, looking quite put out that her boyfriend would walk away and leave without her express permission.

Turning around to face her, Veronica watched Dick's face and noticed he looked less angry at Madison's stopping his escape and more disappointed somehow.

"I was just..." he began to explain, as she strutted over.

"You're not just anything" she said definitely, "you have to stay because you're driving me home later" she told him, as Veronica glanced between the two of them like a table-tennis match, "Besides, the guys are talking about a surfing competition, and I want my boyfriend to show them who's best" she said with a cocky grin, aimed more at Veronica than Dick, the blonde realised, before Madison finally turned and walked away, satisfied she'd made her point.

Veronica looked towards Dick now who put his face briefly in his hand, then sighed and almost growled right after.

"Sometimes being rich and popular sucks!" he half-yelled at the sky, mindful of Madison hearing but almost not even caring about that.

"Dude, that is so true!" Veronica mocked the way he usually spoke, "All that money, all those friends. Man, that's a tough break" she said with fake enthusiasm before rolling her eyes and gulping down the rest of her soda.

"Like you even know, Mars" said Dick as he came over and dropped down on the rock beside her, looking like the world was on his shoulders and he was entirely defeated by it, "Sure, money's great, getting everything I want whenever I want it, it's awesome" he agreed, as Veronica looked curiously at him now, "but you really think these guys are my friends?" he waved a hand out at the crowd a fair distance away, "Most of them wouldn't even talk to me if I wasn't rich and hot. Madison so wouldn't be dating me either" he shrugged, picking up a shell from the sand and turning it over in his hands.

Veronica frowned a little at that. She really didn't think about Dick being a human person with feelings and all. He acted so much like a cartoon most of the time. Now it was as if he had emotions and he wanted to talk to her about the troubles weighing on his usually absent-mind.

"Why do you date her?" she asked him, taking back the question immediately she saw the look Dick was giving her, "Okay, dumb question" she conceded, clearly it was an entirely sexual affair.

"What I don't get is how come you're with Logan" he admitted, her eyes going a little wide as she handed him a soda from the nearby coolbox and got another for herself too, "Don't get me wrong, I totally get why he thinks you're cool and all" Dick admitted so frankly that Veronica was almost flattered, "it's just, I thought you hated all 09ers and stuff. Now you hang out with us like we're cool"

Knowing she couldn't tell the truth, Veronica looked away, staring across at Logan where he ran and laughed by the shoreline with his friends.

"I guess when you care about someone, you'll put up with an awful lot to be with them" she smiled as she realised how true her words really were, "You should understand that" she told Dick, nudging his shoulder.

"Me?" he said, shifting awkwardly then, "Why?"

"You play dumb pretty well, Dick" she rolled her eyes at that, "but I remember fourth grade" she said, staring at him til he glanced her way again, "before Daddy made his first million, before you ran with the popular kids" she reminded him of a time he knew all too well, "A little less blond, a little less rich..."

"Even you thought I was cool then" he smirked, trying to make a joke and yet there was a distant kind of pain in his eyes that Veronica saw and wondered if anyone else cared to notice.

"Why does my opinion even matter?" she asked him curiously, genuinely baffled, after all, her thoughts on the 09ers and what they did was hardly worth anything to most of them.

"Because you actually have one" he told her easily, sipping his drink and then pushing the can down hard in the sand, not really wanting it anyway, "You're real, Ronnie. You'd be into Logan if he was rich or poor, no matter what he looked like, or what he did" he told her that which she was pretty sure she already knew, but it was odd for Veronica to hear someone like Dick say so, "You think there's anybody else here that can say that about the person they're dating?"

"I don't know" she shrugged, actually having to think about the answer to that question, "Maybe Meg?" she suggested as she looked around at the people who surrounded her, eyes catching on hardly any likely suspects, "I used to think Duncan but..." she shook her head sadly then, wondering why she was sharing so much here with Dick Casablancas, but not worrying about it enough to stop yet.

"Yeah, that was rough" he agreed, pushing his blond hair back out of his face as the breeze blew it out of place, "but y'know you're probably better off. Logan's a good guy" he said with a definite nod, "Watch out for Lilly though" he warned her, "I always thought she had kind of a thing for him and he so used to want her"

Veronica felt something inside her tense up at the mention of Lilly Kane, knowing that Dick spoke the truth about both her and Logan, and the mutual attraction between them. However well she and her fake boyfriend seemed to get along, Veronica knew she couldn't get too attached. At the end of the day, they would each have a Kane to call their own, whatever it cost them in terms of their own friendship.

"Thanks, Dick" said Veronica, putting a hand to his arm a moment, "Y'know you're not such a bad guy either"

"Hey, don't tell anybody that" he urged her, with a cheeky smile on his lips, "I have a reputation" he winked as he got to his feet at last, heading back to his supposed friends, and Madison who was yelling for him to get his ass over there right now.

"Duty calls!" Veronica yelled behind him, but was too far away to hear his muttered answer.

"Yeah, maybe not for much longer"

_To Be Continued..._


	13. Chapter 12: Regret

**A/N: So cool to know you're all still here reading and reviewing - you are awesome! I know Veronica is letting down her friends and it sucks, and I know her and Logan not admitting deeper feelings for each other is annoying, but it'll all work out given time ;-)**

_**(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)**_

Chapter 12 - Regret

There was silence in the car as Logan drove Veronica home after the beach party, save for the soft music on the radio that seemed to be jammed on soppy romance hits right now. It wasn't exactly an uncomfortable silence, and yet neither of them felt exactly right about speaking.

It was still a strange situation, weeks after they'd begun this fake dating scam. In front of the 09ers was easy, play acting and not having to think too much about it was fine. With Mac and Wallace, things were a little weirder, but still dealable because they were all friends together. Moments like this when they were alone, both Logan and Veronica struggled to find the right way to behave. They had so much history to their friendship, they had never talked about how and why it broke down, and their romantic entanglement, whilst entirely fictional, was having a strange effect on the both of them.

"Veronica" said Logan suddenly, jolting her from deep thought, "I'm sorry I left you alone so long today" he apologised sincerely, as his eyes flitted from the road to her face and back, "I didn't realise how long I was gone and..."

"It's fine, Logan, don't stress over it" she told him with a smile, "I honestly didn't mind that much" she said, a half-truth to be completely honest because it hadn't been that great sat alone on the rocks whilst he ran around with his buddies.

Still, she had got talking to Troy at once point, and Dick at another. A couple of the girls had tried to make an effort to be moderately friendly, and she'd sailed through several chapters of the book she'd brought to read, so it wasn't a total waste of an afternoon.

"I saw you talking to Dick" he said then, no accusatory tone just a hint of surprise in his voice as he mentioned it, "I wouldn't exactly have pegged you two for friends, but then he has been acting different lately"

"Well, you know as well as I do, the dumb blond dude is a cover" Veronica sighed, "That's kind of what we were talking about actually, how things changed for him and for me. It's weird, we almost switched places when I think about it" she smiled sadly as she talked about it, "He got into the popular world when I dropped off the radar, picked up my best friend when I lost him" she said as the car pulled onto the drive and she got out before Logan could answer.

"Veronica!" he called after her, scrambling to get out of the car before she got away into the house.

"It's okay, Logan" she assured him as he came rushing over, standing in front of her just beyond the porch, "I don't blame you, not really. Things happen, they change, friendships don't always last..."

"Ours should have, and I hate that it didn't" he confessed, words he ought to have spoken years ago and yet never could quite find the way, "Veronica, when your Mom's drinking got bad, really bad..."

"I know, you couldn't deal" she shook her head, pushing back the tears that almost always threatened when she talked about her mother.

"It wasn't just that" he tried to explain, "or it was but..." he ran his hand back through his hair as he tried to get the words he needed straight in his own head, "You changed, Ronnie, and it wasn't your fault but you did. You got harder, because you had to, and it wasn't easy to be your friend anymore" he told her honestly, desperate not to hurt her but at the same time really wanting her to understand, "I tried to be there for you, you didn't want to talk about it, then when your Mom finally left, suddenly you chopped off your hair and started skipping class, I... I didn't know what I was supposed to do"

Veronica knew he was right in what he said. She'd changed a lot when her Mom finally left. After three failed attempts at rehab, all of which she had given up early claiming she was fine, it had only resulted in things getting worse, and eventually the complete breakdown of the Mars marriage. Veronica just couldn't deal, and some of her pain an anger had been thrown at Logan just to make herself feel better. It was wrong, and she knew it.

"I'm sorry" she apologised now, years too late perhaps, but it was the only opportunity she'd ever get.

"I know" he nodded, knowing even when she was ignoring him, avoiding him, telling him to leave her alone, that it wasn't really what she meant, "I know because I did it too"

"I don't understand" she shook her head, setting free a stray tear that she quickly wiped from her cheek.

"C'mon, Ronnie, you knew what my Dad was like, what he did to my Mom and me" he said, knowing from the way she glanced away that she'd always had her suspicions about bruises she saw on her best friend and his Mom when they were kids, "After you stopped being around, I made new friends, but they weren't the same. I couldn't talk to them like I talked to you, so on bad days I pushed them away. Then I knew how you felt"

"We were just kids" she shrugged, "We had a lot going on"

"Yeah, and instead of leaning on each other, we tore lumps out of each other" he shook his head, "It shouldn't've been like that, Veronica"

She knew he was right. A little effort would have kept them together, best friends still now, maybe even more. Instead they had lived the past few years on opposite sides of a divide, only to come together by way of a scam that ought to bring about happiness for both of them by pairing them up with a Kane sibling each. How that part was supposed to work out seemed hazy in both their minds at this point.

"So, what have we learned so far?" Veronica joked, not knowing how else to get out of this awkward moment as she stood there right in front of her ex-best-friend / fake-boyfriend, who was staring down at her with an intensity she couldn't take, "If your best friend has a parent who is an alcoholic that abandons them or a violent person who lands up in jail, don't abandon them" she said matter of factly, knowing this was not a funny situation, but preferring to make herself laugh rather than cry if at all possible.

"Sounds like a good idea" he agreed, reaching out a hand to push some stray hair from Veronica's face, "I'm still sorry the ways things turned out between us then"

"Me too" she agreed, reaching up to hug him in a moment of complete spontaneity.

Logan hugged her back, holding her close to him for as long as she would allow, breathing in the scent of her hair and closing his eyes as he revelled in the warmth of her body against his own. When they finally let go of each other, Veronica practically bolted for the house, making Logan wonder if she'd felt what he had, the pull inside that made him want to hold her forever and kiss her and...

"Veronica" he called behind her just as she reached the door and she turned back, looking almost worried about what he might say next, "I... I'm glad we figured it out, that we're friends again" he said, not quite what he'd had planned but it was as good as anything he supposed as she smiled brightly back at him and nodded her head.

"Me too" she assured him, before turning away and heading into the house at last.

On the other side of the door, Veronica leaned her back against the wall and exhaled as she slid down to the floor.

That had been too close for comfort. Logan's arms around her had felt so good, it would've been so easy just to kiss him, to hold on forever, to make what was between them real. She couldn't do that; she and Logan had a plan that they needed to finish. Actually dating him could jeopardise everything, and it was not part of the plan. Still, Veronica couldn't shake the feeling that it might be part of someone's plan in the grand scheme of things, else why would she be feeling this way?

* * * * *

It was the first morning in quite some time that Logan and Veronica wouldn't arrive at school together. Though he probably thought she was avoiding him after the strangely honest way they parted company Saturday night, the truth of it was Veronica needed to talk to Mac. All day Sunday she'd been going over it in her head, and couldn't shake the feeling of guilt over not being there for her friend.

Mac and Wallace had been there for Veronica through some tough times, they all looked out for each other, and she didn't want to lose that. She knew she ought to make more of an effort but somehow she'd gotten so caught up in getting Duncan back, and re-building her long lost relationship with Logan. He'd fallen out of her life all too easily, she couldn't stand that happening with Mac and Wallace. Saturday her friend had really needed her to be there for a big deal in her life, and Veronica hadn't been, she'd said no and gone to an 09er party that wasn't really her at all.

Sunday was family day, always had been, and Veronica wasn't about to let her Dad down by running off to Mac's house yesterday. It was no use re-building one relationship if damage occurred to another in the process. That was the mistake she made with Logan and Mac in the first place.

So here it was, Monday morning, and Veronica was headed to the Mackenzie household almost an hour before school would start. She knew the family would be up and at 'em by now, they were early risers and hard workers, just like the Mars. Pulling up on the drive, Veronica went up to the front door and knocked, wondering who would answer and if she would even be allowed into the house if it were Mac herself. It was kind of a relief when it was her mother, who let her in with a grin and a cheery welcome.

Walking through to Mac's room, Veronica tapped on the door then opened it, even though her friend yelled 'go away' - that particular phrase was clearly meant for her brother.

"Um, if my name isn't Ryan, can I come in?" she ventured, doing so anyway as Mac barely glanced from her laptop screen.

"I guess" she shrugged, "but I'll understand if you have more important 09er things to do than talk to me" she said, just a little bitter it seemed.

"Okay, I deserved that" the blonde agreed as she came in and closed the door behind her, moving to sit on Mac's desk chair across from where the brunette herself sat lotus style on her bed, "Mac, I'm really sorry I blew you off Saturday" she apologised sincerely, "I know I should've been there for you, like you always are for me, and if it's any consolation, I feel awful" she told her seriously.

Mac glanced up at her friend's face, seeing the genuine pain on her features that had been clear through her voice too. She knew she was sorry, of course she did. Veronica wasn't a bad person, she just made a choice that kind of hurt.

"I know" she said quietly, "I'm not gonna stay mad at you forever, Veronica, that's pointless" she admitted, as she gave her friend a half-smile, "I think maybe you just need to balance your priorities a little better" she suggested, "Y'know you hurt Wallace's feelings too. He just won't tell you, 'cause he wants you to think he's all manly and stuff" she said, almost laughing at her own words and not blaming Veronica at all for doing the same.

Wallace Fennell was by no means an effeminate man, but he could hardly be described as manly either. Veronica was well aware of what a good friend he was though, as good as Mac to her, and it wasn't right that she'd caused either of them any kind of pain.

"I will apologise to him too" she nodded solemnly then, "Seriously, Mac, I'm trying to juggle all this but... it's a weird situation"

"Well, you got yourself in, you'll have to get yourself out, Bond" Mac told her as she tapped away on her keyboard, "I can't really help you this time" she said seriously.

"So, how did it go on Saturday? If I'm allowed to know..." asked Veronica as she moved to come sit by Mac on the bed and peer over her shoulder.

"Could've been better" the brunette admitted, tucking a random blue strand of hair behind her ear as she looked across at her friend, "RichieRich didn't show up" she smiled sadly at which Veronica frowned.

"But you're still talking to him?" she said slowly, not understanding how that worked.

If Mac's online-boyfriend, for lack of a better term, hadn't shown up for their pre-arranged meeting, surely she ought to be pissed at him, not sending emails full of smilies and love hearts!

"I got an email after a half hour of me and Wallace waiting" explained Mac, "He said he was really sorry but something came up, he couldn't make it" she shrugged.

"Huh" was all Veronica said to that,

She had a hundred and one other things she could say but she wasn't really sure that she should. People shouldn't judge unless they were willing to be judged themselves. If she made some comment about RichieRich being untrustworthy or unreliable, it would only come back on her. She had just admitted to and apologised for treating Mac in a less than stellar way, she could hardly shoot down random internet guy when she was supposedly Mac's best friend and had behaved no better.

"What? No smart-alecky comment?" Mac asked Veronica then, a smirk playing at her lips.

"I choose not to throw stones from inside my glass house" her friend nodded once, making her chuckle.

"Good choice"

_To Be Continued..._


	14. Chapter 13: Original

**A/N: Thanx to all my reviewers - you rock, as always! ;-)**

_**(For disclaimer, etc - see chapter 1)**_

Chapter 13 - Original

"After several incidents recently, Mr Clemmons has asked that I assign your lab partners instead of letting you work with your so-called friends" said Mr Woo from the front of the chemistry lab, not a person in the room at all thrilled to hear the news, "So, let's try to get this done as quickly and quietly as possible..." he told them, as he began selecting names from a piece of paper.

What system he was using was anybody's guess, but it was becoming increasingly obvious who the last pair of partners could well turn out to be. It wasn't a huge surprise to hear the names called but that didn't make the situation any less awkward.

"And finally, Logan Echolls and Duncan Kane" announced Mr Woo to an amused class, who were only too aware of how unsuitable a pairing that really was.

The ex and current boyfriends both of Veronica Mars - this was going to be interesting. Of course, whilst today's experiment was being explained, the two boys sat in appropriate silence and barely looked at each other, but conversation could not be avoided after a while, and as the rest of the class set up test tubes and Bunsen burners, and started chatting about both the class and their lives, Logan and Duncan were forced into speaking to one another, or spend the whole lesson not talking at all.

"So..." said Logan, removing the pen from his mouth that he'd been chewing on, "You and Meg seem like the perfect little couple lately"

Duncan looked sideways at his lab partner, eyeing him with suspicion before going back to measuring water into a beaker.

"I can never tell when you're being sarcastic anymore" he said flatly, deciding he was not willing to give any real kind of answer until he was sure of the context of the comment.

"Yeah, well, you never did get me" Logan sighed, evidently not all that bothered, "kind of like you never really got Veronica" he added cuttingly, a smirk on his face that Duncan would love to knock clean off.

"And you do?" he snapped, "Funny, I seem to recall you dumping her as a best friend around ninth grade?" he said, his tone and looks a total challenge and one Logan was happy to take on, even if he wasn't smiling about it anymore.

"It wasn't like that, man, so don't even start" he said in a low voice, "Anyway, you were fast enough to tell Ronnie it was over when you got bored"

"I wasn't bored!" the other boy all but exploded, slamming a hand on the desk and catching a little too much attention.

Apologetic smiles on both their faces the lab partners glanced first at Mr Woo and then at the rest of the class, before going back to their experiment.

"Not that it's your business" muttered Duncan as he concentrated mostly on what he was doing and tried not to look at Logan's annoying face even as he spoke to him, "but... I don't know, she's so weird about stuff sometimes. I was never allowed to be there when her father was around, and not because he didn't like me, just because she wouldn't let me" he rattled on much to the annoyance of his partner, "She seemed to hate parties, I could barely have a drink without her freaking out..."

"Anything else you want to bitch about, you idiot?" Logan was suddenly seething, and whilst Duncan could understand the guy not liking the fact he was ragging on his girlfriend, he couldn't quite make sense of the overwhelming waves of anger coming off Logan right now, "You really don't know her at all, do you?" he said with a shake of his head as he threw his safety glasses onto the table, "You have any idea what she's been through? She clings to her Dad because he's all she has in the world" he explained, trying to keep his voice down for the sake of not getting yelled at by the teacher and equally as much so that no-one else heard Veronica's secrets, "Yeah, that's partly my fault, but he has always been there for her, even when her Mom got her _drink problem_ and up and left them, when Veronica was twelve years old!" he ended more loudly than he started and bit his tongue then before he exploded completely.

To his credit, Duncan looked thoroughly ashamed of the things he'd said and the way he'd treated Veronica as a light dawned in his mind. He was stunned by all Logan was telling him, truly astounded since he had never realised any of this, never really knew Veronica at all it seemed, especially compared with Logan.

"She never told me any of this" he shook his head, looking totally lost, and feeling more than a little hurt as he realised Veronica had shared so much more with this guy than she ever had with him, despite their dating for almost a year.

"Yeah, well, maybe she didn't think you'd understand" he shrugged, anger dissipating as he realised it wasn't entirely Duncan Kane's fault he'd been an ass if he'd never been given all the facts up to now, "Seems like maybe she was right" he added bitterly, knowing it wasn't fair but unable to help himself as he got up and walked away.

Duncan barely noticed Logan was gone, he was just dumbstruck by what he'd been told. Veronica had gone through so much, and he never knew. Why she didn't tell him was anybody's guess. There was every chance she just didn't want to think about the hardships in her life, wanted to focus on the good things, and he couldn't be mad at her for that. On the other hand, it made Duncan wonder how much she really trusted him, or how much she'd ever really cared. She and Logan had certainly got together fast after their ideas of being with himself and Lilly fell through.

Of course, Duncan wasn't sharp enough or even devious enough to figure out the scam that was there before his eyes. It wouldn't occur to him for a moment that Logan and Veronica would fake a revival of their friendship and a subsequent romantic relationship just to get back at him and his sister. Besides, they had both moved on too, Lilly to Weevil, though that relationship seemed rockier than the Grand Canyon, and Duncan himself to Meg.

Sweet, innocent, lovely Meg; he really did care about her a lot and she had a mass of good qualities going for her. Unfortunately, Duncan knew there was one drawback when it came to dating Meg Manning, one thing that could never be overcome no matter how much he or she tried. She was not Veronica Mars.

* * * * *

"Hey, Veronica!"

The blonde was startled by the sound of her name being called, not because she didn't expect to get any attention as she exited the building for lunch, but more so because the voice calling belonged to her ex-boyfriend, Duncan Kane. Forcing down the smile that immediately rose on her lips, she turned to face him with a stern expression.

"What do you want, Duncan?" she asked, as if annoyed by his presence, though secretly she was pleased to have his attention.

After all, if he wanted to talk to her after weeks of sheer avoidance and hiding behind Meg Manning, perhaps that plan she and Logan had hatched was finally working. For a while Veronica had wondered if it even mattered anymore, but she still got that weird fluttering inside when she realised Duncan wanted to talk to her.

"I just... I wanted to talk to you" he said vaguely as he reached her, then preceded to stand there and stare at her without another word.

"C'mon, Duncan, spit it out" she urged him, feeling dumb with people walking by looking at the pair of them just stood in silence.

"I wanted to say... that I'm sorry" he admitted at length, shifting awkwardly on the spot, "I guess what I mean is, well, I didn't handle things well, and I shouldn't have treated you the way I did" he went on, much to the amazement of Veronica.

Why her ex-boyfriend's opinion of both her and his behaviour towards her should have changed like this and so suddenly was anybody's guess. For herself, Veronica had no idea at all, though she wasn't exactly against receiving an apology for the unceremonious way she was dumped previously.

"No, you shouldn't" she agreed, "but hey, we both moved on, right?" she said, watching his face.

She was almost certain he would agree with her words, but his eyes would give him away if he didn't really mean what he said. Veronica had long since learnt to read Duncan as well as any other person she knew, and she had her father's training to thank for that. Spotting liars a mile away, you had to be able to do that in his line of work, and Keith Mars had taught his baby girl all he knew.

"Yeah, I guess we did" he smiled, though the look seemed less than genuine somehow.

Of course, Logan couldn't hear what was going on from his position across the quad. He had got up to meet Veronica when he saw her exit the school building but had stopped short of going over there when he realised Duncan had plans to catch up to the blonde and talk to her. Inside, a battle raged then as Logan watched the ex-couple talking. A part of him wanted to rush over there, swoop in and mark his territory as it were, lay a kiss on Veronica Mars that would show the world she belonged to him and not to Duncan Kane. Still, Logan knew that she could wind up hating him for such actions. Veronica _wanted_ Duncan's attention, it was why this whole thing had begun in the first place, because she wanted her boyfriend back and he wanted...

"Lilly" he smiled as she appeared in front of him, obscuring his view of Veronica and Duncan beyond, "What's up?"

"Kind of what I was gonna ask you" she admitted, putting a hand on his shoulder as she turned to look in the same direction he'd been staring, "Looks like little brother's putting the moves on your girl" she sighed, "Gotta sting right?"

"I don't know" shrugged Logan, unsure how to behave right now.

He didn't want to seem like he cared too much, he wanted Lilly to know he liked her better than Veronica, but at the same time it would make his relationship with Ronnie look entirely unrealistic if he didn't give a damn that she might be getting back together with her ex.

"Donut is such a spaz" Lilly rolled her eyes, sitting down on the edge of the low wall beside Logan, "If he likes her so much I don't get why he dumped her, but then I never really got what he saw in her in the first place"

"Veronica is... she's special" said Logan, not really knowing what else to say.

He was a little surprised when Lilly suddenly laughed loudly near his ear.

"Special?" she giggled, "Really? C'mon, Logan" she rolled her eyes as he looked far too seriously at her, "Whatever she does for you, you know there are plenty of other girls that can do it better" she winked as she got up and sashayed away, leaving Logan feeling even more confused then he had been five minutes ago.

"Hey" she was gone only a second when his other favourite blonde suddenly appeared before him, "You okay?" asked Veronica with a slight frown when she caught sight on the confused look on her pseudo-boyfriend's face.

"Er, yeah" he said, shaking his head, "So, I saw you and Duncan having some big talk"

"It was nothing" she waved away his interest, "Although he was being weirdly nice and apologising for the way he treated me" she considered thoughtfully a smile on her face that had the weirdest effect on Logan.

He wanted to see her happy, of course he did, and wanted the same for himself, so why when they were just now finally getting what they both wanted, did he feel so unhappy about it?

"Veronica?" he cut into her silent thoughtfulness, catching her attention in a second, but unfortunately when her eyes met his he lost his grip on the nerve he'd mustered a second before, "You wanna hit the mall tonight?" he offered, completely out of blue, making her frown.

"The mall?" she asked, a look of distaste crossing her features, "Seriously?"

"I just thought, with Prom getting so close you might wanna look at dresses?" he suggested, "I don't know, I just thought I could get you something special" he smiled, shifting awkwardly where he sat suddenly.

"Logan, you don't have to buy me a Prom dress" she assured him, but he looked pretty certain about it.

"C'mon, Ronnie, I want to" he told her seriously, "What's the point of a no limit platinum card if you can't test the lack of limitation?" he asked where with a smirk that made her laugh.

"Okay, okay" she relented, "We'll go look, but you are _not_ spending some ridiculous amount of cash on a dress I will only ever wear one time"

"You let me worry about that, Miss Mars" he said as he stood up, put his hands on her shoulders and leant in to kiss the tip of her nose.

Veronica giggled at his ridiculous antics, yet couldn't help but love it somehow. She was just so glad to have Logan back in her life, even if this whole scam situation was a little twisted and seemed as if it would be over before long.

_To Be Continued..._


	15. Chapter 14: Your Big Day

**A/N: I know this is getting messy in places, Veronica's friends are a little less than happy with her behaviour, but trust me, it'll all turn out right in the end. Thanx so much for the latest reviews, and here's a little LoVe for you all! :-)**

_**(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)**_

Chapter 14 - Your Big Day

Shopping had never been Veronica's favourite pastime, and clothes shopping especially not. Yet here she was at the mall with Logan Echolls, and they were actually having fun! They exited their third dress shop, laughing at the expense of a shop assistant who was so far up her own butt it was untrue, when Veronica turned around from looking at Logan and ploughed straight into two people coming the other way. It was more of a surprise than it might have been for Veronica when she realised who exactly she had run into - Wallace and Mac.

"Hey guys" she grinned at the sight of the friends she felt a little detached from of late, though she had tried to make an effort not to let that happen, "Don't tell me you're shopping for Prom dresses too?" she gave Wallace a look that made him laugh.

"Hey, you know it, baby" he said over-dramatically, chuckling soon after and making Mac giggle too, "For Mac, obviously" he rolled his eyes, as if that were not obvious already.

Of course, it was kind of a surprise to Veronica that her girl-bud would want a dress any more than Wallace would. Neither Mac nor Veronica were exactly the dress-shopping kind, but then Prom was kind of a big deal, even if it was only Junior year. With one of them trying to get their boyfriend back and another on the verge of getting a boyfriend via the Internet, it made some sense.

"I wish we'd known sooner" sighed Veronica, "We could've all come to the mall together"

"Well, now we've found each other, we can stick together" shrugged Mac, not seeing any problem with that scenario.

Though she wouldn't say it, she was kind of glad to have found Veronica here. She was the one she wanted to bring dress shopping anyway, since she would at least have some interest in the clothes she was trying on, at least as much as Mac herself did anyway. Wallace was oblivious to the point of trawling shops for the perfect dress. As far as he was concerned, the better a dress showed off what a woman had, the better he liked it, end of discussion. That wasn't exactly the kind of advice Mac was looking for.

As the girls walked up to another shop window and discussed the colours and styles of the dresses on display, Logan and Wallace hung back a little, both trying to think of an appropriate topic to talk about.

"Uh, so, Wallace, I hear it's a big game for the team next week" said Logan eventually, thinking sports was pretty much always the way to go when stuck for something to say to a supposed guy friend.

"Yep, Championship game" he agreed, clapping and rubbing his hands together with glee, "and we are gonna kick some Pan High butt!" he declared, catching the girls attention and encouraging Mac to join him in a high five, which she happily did.

"Wow" smiled Logan, "I'm honestly sorry we're gonna miss that" he said, looking genuine as he dropped a casual arm around Veronica's shoulders and followed her eyeline to the dresses in the shop window.

"Miss it?" said Mac, glancing from Wallace to Logan, then Veronica whose face fell from a happy smile to a guilty frown in a second.

"Oh God, the party" she gasped hardly able to believe she hadn't noticed the event clash before now.

"There's a party now?" her friend asked, looking understandably unhappy that one of his supposed best buds was going to miss the biggest basketball game of his life so far.

"09er Pre-Prom thing" explained Veronica sadly, "kind of a big deal actually, especially since it's at the Kane house" she told both her friends, neither of which looked hugely impressed, "I'm sorry, Wallace" she apologised sincerely, though it didn't seem to do much good.

Logan felt awful for the little blonde still beneath his arm as Wallace looked caught between disappointment and anger at her decision.

"Yeah, I'm sorry too" he said flatly then, never taking his eyes of Veronica as he continued, "You know what Mac, I don't feel much like shopping anymore" he said then, before turning to stride away.

"Me neither" she agreed with a shake of her head, looking sadly at Veronica before following Wallace towards the exit.

"Guys, please don't..." their supposed best friend called behind them but it was clear they weren't interested in listening, "Damn!" declared the blonde, slamming her hand against the glass, thankfully not hard enough to bother the window or hurt herself too bad, still it was clear to Logan how much she was hurting right now.

"Ronnie" he said softly, "if I caused that..."

"You didn't" she interrupted his would-be apology, knowing she couldn't blame him for this even if she wanted to, "it's not your fault" she promised him, though she looked so frustrated and upset, Logan felt like he wanted to apologise anyway, just for allowing her world to get so turned upside down by any plan of his, "God, I hate how screwed up this is getting!" she yelled a little too loudly for a public place, running her hands back over her hair as she paced outside the store.

"Hey, come on, Veronica" Logan urged her, catching her by the shoulders as she went past him one more time, "Come on, you already said Duncan is making more of an effort with you" he reminded her, wondering why it almost hurt to say those words, but ignoring the feeling for now, "and y'know, Lilly seems to be coming around" he said awkwardly, making Veronica meet his eyes before his continued, "We've got this thing sown up, it's just a little while longer" he reminded her, hating to see that the upset and frustration had made tears form in her eyes.

"I know you're right" she sighed, just feeling like she was caught between a rock and hard place lately and all the time, "When Wallace calms down, you think he'll understand?" she asked, not really believing it herself, but knowing Logan ought to make her feel better somehow, he usually did.

"Who couldn't forgive you, Miss Mars?" he assured her, pulling her into his arms and hugging her tight, dropping a kiss on top of her head before he spoke again, "And y'know, we don't have to miss the whole game, we can swing by on the way to the party" he suggested as her arms crept around him too and they just held on a while, not sure what exactly any of it meant but not caring for the time being.

"I guess" she muttered against his chest, enjoying this closeness for just a few moments more.

For Logan it felt like a sweet kind of torture. Reminding Veronica that their scam would only last a little while longer only served to fire off a warning message in his head. When the scam was over, they had to break up, and given how close they were being lately, it was going to have to be some major blow out. Though one day they could pretend they'd patched up their friendship somehow, they couldn't be close as they were now, not when they got their wish and were dating Duncan and Lilly like they wanted. To get one dream, it seemed they were going to have to give up another, and it broke Logan's heart just a little to think of it. Still, he'd got himself into this mess, and he would have to deal with the consequences, they both would in the end. For now, at least, he could push away thoughts of the badness to come and have one more fun afternoon with his favourite girl.

"So, now that little problem is cleared up" he told her, looking at something in the window from over her head, "I think I just solved our other dilemma" he grinned, spotting something guaranteed to cheer Veronica up.

Before she had a chance to ask what he was talking about, Logan had a hold of her hand and was dragging her into the nearest store. She waited a moment, in silence when he shushed her, and then was unceremoniously shoved into a stall to get changed into the dress Logan had thrown into her waiting arms.

"Logan!" she declared from behind the curtain he swiftly pulled, "I can't wear this!" this told him definitely, poking her head out to speak to him though he had his back to the stall and didn't notice.

"Don't argue with me, woman" he called over his shoulder, "For once, just trust me" he insisted.

Those words had an odd effect on Veronica somehow. Of course she trusted Logan, she had for as long as she would remember. She would never want him to think otherwise, and to be fair, now that she looked at it properly, it was a gorgeous dress he'd handed to her to try on. Though she still wasn't convinced it would look as good on her body as it even did on the hangar, Veronica made a little sound of muttered agreement and set about changing the T-shirt and jeans she wore for the Prom dress.

Stepping out of the changing stall a moment later, Veronica flattened out the knee length full skirt of a strapless red satin dress that was almost definitely way too risqué for her, and yet she knew she at least had to show willing and face Logan in his choice.

"Well?" she asked, prompting him to turn around, "How bad is it?" she asked, crossing her arms over her chest a moment, then realising that was dumb and dropping them to her sides, shifting uncomfortably as her pseudo-boyfriend stared at her with a big dumb grin suddenly plastered across his face.

"Wow, Veronica" he gasped, apparently in awe at the sight of her, "Seriously, Ronnie, you look amazing" he promised her, with such sincerity that Veronica was sure her face was turning as bright red as the dress she wore.

Glancing down at her feet for fear of what might happen if she held Logan's intense gaze much longer, the blonde got a load of the price tag hanging off the dress she wore, her eyes spinning like fruit machines at the sight of the number there.

"The price tag on this has so many zeroes I hope it's written in binary" she declared, showing it to Logan, inadvertently drawing his attention to her chest and therefore not much surprised that it took him a moment to answer her - he was a guy after all.

"No limit card, remember?" he said then, grinning as he pulled said card from his wallet and held it aloft between two fingers, "Now, you like the dress?" he checked, knowing that although she looked totally hot in it, she had to actually think so too or there was little or no point in buying it for her.

"Well, I don't hate it" she squirmed, knowing that in fact she loved that she really did look so good, and that Logan thought so too if she were honest.

"Ronnie..." he gave her a look that said now was the time to tell the truth, because of all people he would know if she was lying anyway.

"Yes, okay" she admitted then, "I love it, and you know I do" she rolled her eyes.

"Then, Cinderella" said Logan picking up her hand and spinning her under his arm, before bringing her fingers too his lips, "you shall go to the ball" he told her, kissing her hand, and somehow making Veronica feel as much like a princess as she ever had in the whole of her life.

_To Be Continued..._


	16. Chapter 15: Hammer to the Heart

**A/N: Finally, I'm getting back to my unfinished fics! Thanx for the previous feedback, I hope you are all still around and wanting to read more, though I worry now that you're not gonna like me much after this chapter...**

_**(For disclaimer, etc - see chapter 1)**_

Chapter 15 - Hammer to the Heart

"Dad!" called Veronica from her room as she checked her purse contained all she needed, and glanced at her hair in the mirror, "Logan will be here to pick me up any minute, have you seen my keys?"

"Did you try three inches from your hand?" said her father, suddenly in the doorway and the little blonde laughed at herself as she realised he was right, there was the very thing she was looking for right beside her, "Anybody would think you were nervous about a date with your boyfriend" her Dad said thoughtfully as he watched her buzz around her room a little more.

"It's not that" she assured him, "I just... this party is kind of a big deal" she said cryptically, knowing that there was a limit to how much information she could actually spill before her Dad would stop understanding.

She couldn't imagine her scam would go down too well with her father, the upholder of county law. There was a chance, but Veronica wasn't willing to take it right now.

"You like Logan a lot, don't you, honey?" he asked her then, making her squirm as she wondered where this conversation was likely to end up.

"Sure" she nodded, making sure to keep her back to him a while longer, "Why do you ask?"

"No reason" he shook his head, though this she couldn't see from her current position, "I just want you to remember that you're still in High School and, well, you don't owe him anything" he said making Veronica wince.

Yep, this was the safe sex talk she was hoping to avoid.

"Duly noted" she told him with a forced grin as she pulled on her jacket and turned to face him, "I'm gonna go wait for Logan out front" she said, planting a quick kiss on his cheek, "Don't wait up" she joked as she finally made to leave.

* * * * *

"I still feel like we should've stayed longer" Veronica sighed as Logan pulled his car up outside the Kane house.

It was almost an hour since he'd picked her up at home, as they had stopped off at school on the way to the party to show support for Wallace. He had been pleased to see her, hugged her and told her all was forgiven, but Veronica doubted he would be too happy at the end of the game to realise she was long gone.

"I know it's rough, Ronnie" Logan sympathised as he shut off the engine and leaned back in the drivers seat, "but if we're going to see this through..."

"I know" she nodded her agreement before he ever finished, "and I wanna do this, I wanna get Duncan back, I do" she said in such a way it was almost as if she were trying to convince herself of the fact more than simply stating it.

Still, Logan didn't argue. The point of this plan was within reaching distance now. Lilly was paying him as much attention now as she had been before this whole mess started, maybe even more than that, and Duncan was certainly being nicer to Ronnie. The scam was almost over and it felt strange to both sides of this odd couple to realise that.

"So, what do you say to a hand-holding type entrance?" she offered as they got out of the car and met at the front of the vehicle.

"Sounds good" he agreed, clasping her hand in his as they entered the Kane house as a couple that by now seemed much less unlikely.

"Logan!" as if she had an alarm set to go off to warn of his arrival, Lilly was on them in a second, attracting the attention of everyone else in the room who turned to see the arrival of the young Mr Echolls and his girlfriend, "Welcome to the Pre-prom extravangaza!" she said in appropriately over the top style, "And Veronica" she said, with far less enthusiasm, "So glad you could make it" she smiled insincerely.

"Wouldn't miss it for the world, Lil" replied the other blonde, with an equal helping of fakery.

"Er, you wanna dance, Ronnie?" Logan offered, not loving the look that passed between the two girls then.

There was a definite cat fight vibe, and whilst the idea of two hots blondes fighting over him was more than a little appealing on the surface, the repercussions really wouldn't be worth the thrill.

"Sure" his pseudo-girlfriend agreed easily and was soon being led out onto the dancefloor, able to forget for a while that she may have hurt her friends again, that her scam might soon be over, that she might soon be losing her best friend Logan from her life all over again, and all too easily.

* * * * *

The party at the Kane house was in full swing, the floor space full of people dancing, couches full of wasted singles and making-out couples. Veronica was finding that the whole event really wasn't so bad, having thrown herself into the party full force. As well as Logan, she had danced with Dick and Troy and Casey, and even some of the girls had complimented her almost completely sincerely on her choice of outfit and accessories. She hadn't spoken to Duncan yet, though she'd seen him around. Meg didn't seem to be present at the party and rumour had it that the couple had been spotted having a fight, though the details were hazy. Veronica felt a little bad, wondering if they had broken up because of her, and a little thrilled for the same reason if she was completely honest. The last person she would want to hurt was dear, sweet Meg, but all was fair in love and war, and there were always causalities in both in seemed.

"Having fun?" said a voice behind her and Veronica spun completely into the waiting arms of Troy Vandegraff.

"Y'know, I actually am" she smiled widely, the effects of a fun time being had and perhaps one or two more drinks than she really ought to have had, "Who would have thought, poor little me enjoying spending time with Neptune's elite?" she laughed at her own joke as Troy did the same, dancing her around the room with ease.

"You fit in a lot better than you thought you would, huh?" he smiled as she nodded her agreement, "I figure there comes a point where you have to let bygones be bygones, and admit that hey, maybe you and/or us were a little bit wrong or sorry" he rambled somewhat, the effects of the beer or the beautiful girl in his arms - take your pick, "I guess the point I'm trying to make is, to hell with everything else, screw the past and the class divide! Let's dance, baby, let's dance" he said, spinning her around, til Veronica was both dizzy and unable to breathe but having a truly great time.

Logan watched her from across the room and smiled. She was oblivious to his eyes upon her, he was certain, and maybe that was the best part. She was so natural, so real, and as much as she had grown up into a gorgeous and sexy young woman, she was still the little girl he'd known and called his best friend so many years ago.

"Aaw, how adorable" said a voice behind him, its owner unquestionable before she ever appeared in Logan's field of vision.

"Lilly" he smiled in spite of himself, "Did you wanna dance?" he offered, but she shook her head.

"No, I was actually hoping we could... talk" she said, leaning in too close and walking her fingers across his chest.

"Okay" he agreed, though he wondered if talking was actually what she had in mind for their lips, either way he was as powerless as all men before him to the charms of one Miss Lilly Kane.

Taking hold of his hand in hers, Lilly led Logan through the crowds and out through the glass doors to the patio beyond where they would not be heard by anyone but each course, they could still be seen, and as Troy and Veronica took a break from dancing to get a drink, her eyes followed by his landed on the pair beyond the doors.

"Oh, Veronica, I'm sorry" Troy sympathised immediately that he saw Lilly with her hand on Logan's chest as she spoke to him - he was making no particular move to get away.

"They're just talking" Veronica shrugged it off as if it were nothing, finding it strange that it should sting so much to see the scene before her, despite the fact her relationship with Logan should be pure scam.

"I hate to tell you this but with Lilly? It's pretty much never _just _talking" he told her, glancing from the couple to Veronica who was clutching her cup of punch just a little too tightly, "I am sorry" he repeated, but she shook her head.

"Why would you be sorry?" she forced a smile as she turned her back on the scene she couldn't stand to watch and faced Troy instead.

"Honestly?" he said taking a breath, "I'm kind of not sorry" he told her, watching Veronica's eyes go wide, "I know, that sounds bad but... well, you shouldn't be with a guy like Logan" he waved a hand in a vague gesture towards the door, "If he doesn't know what he has when he has you, then... well, he doesn't deserve you, Veronica" he said softly as he leant in a little closer.

Veronica found she was suddenly quite unable to move, even when her brain unscrambled itself from the haze Troy's charming words had caused and figured out he was getting closer. A moment before his lips touched hers, Veronica knew the kiss was coming and she made a conscious decision not to stop him. It was wrong on so many levels. She had a boyfriend, and though that may all be part of a scam, everybody around herself and Logan believed their supposed love to be real. Beyond that, there was Duncan, Veronica's ex and the guy who was supposed to be the object of her affection, the whole point of her scam relationship with Logan. Despite all this, she didn't move as Troy came in close and kissed her, and whilst she didn't really kiss him back, she did allow the moment to go on longer than she ever should have.

"What the hell...?" said a voice, and Veronica physically winced as Troy pulled away from her at the sound of Logan's yelling.

"Oh God" she put a hand to her face, feeling sick as she glanced between her friend and her pseudo-boyfriend.

"Hey, man, I was just..." Troy began to explain, only to be cut off more than a little abruptly by his so-called friend's fist across his face.

"Do _not_ talk to me" he said nastily as he turned to walk away.

"Logan" Veronica called as she hurried after him, catching up to him just outside the door to the room, "Logan, please" she grabbed his arm to pull him back but he wouldn't turn around.

He glanced over his shoulder just a moment to whisper to her.

"Let go, Ronnie" he told her, "We have to sell this remember?" he told her, before pulling his arm roughly from her grasp and turning on her with anger and pain flashing in his eyes that he didn't have to fake at all, "Leave me the hell alone, Veronica!" he told her, before striding away, as the rest of the party looked on.

The little blonde stared after Logan, uncaring about whether he ought to be her boyfriend, best friend, or anything else right now. Her only concern was that they were over, in all senses of the word, and the tears that shone in her eyes right now were as real as anything ever could be.

_To Be Continued..._


	17. Chapter 16: Bitter Words

**A/N: Thanx peops for all the fab reviews! :-) Please excuse Mac if she is slightly OOC in this chapter, I did my best not to let it happen!**

_**(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)**_

Chapter 16 - Bitter Words

"Congratulations, Mr Champion Basketball player!" grinned Mac as she rushed down to the court that was fast filling with fans, all cheering for Neptune High's victory, "You owned that game" she said with over-the-top enthusiasm as she hugged her friend.

Wallace appreciated her excitement for his victory, but he knew why she was being so crazy-happy about the win. It wasn't all about the game, not about something he'd just won, but something he'd lost. Veronica wasn't here, and that hurt.

"She didn't even stay for the whole first half, did she?" he shook his head as Mac released him, her smile wavering.

"I'm sure she wanted to" was all the brunette would say, but Wallace still looked understandably unimpressed.

This was the biggest game of his life so far, and he had hoped that at the very least his so-called best friend would stay for half of it, or maybe just swing by to hear the result. Nope, not a chance. She was off at her 09er party with her 09er friends, and he and Mac didn't matter at all.

"Wallace, you were so great!" said a voice behind him and he turned with a smile painted on to greet Georgia, a little stunned, but happily so when she threw herself into his arms.

"Hey, thanks" he said as he hugged her back.

Mac grinned at the sight, happy to see her friend with a girl she knew he liked a lot. The plan was to her ask her to Prom and it seemed likely she'd be saying yes as far as Mac could tell. She considered walking away, giving the would-be-couple a moment alone, and the decision was soon made for her as her cell vibrated in her pocket.

"I'm just gonna..." she gestured, and though Wallace made a waving motion that suggested he had heard her, she wasn't certain he was seeing or hearing anything but Georgia right now.

Hurrying outside the doors of the gym where things were much quieter, Mac frowned a little as she saw 'Veronica calling' on the screen of her cell. Why she would be calling she couldn't imagine, though a part of her hoped it was something positive, like asking if Wallace had won and wanting to congratulate him. She could not be more wrong, of course.

"Veronica?" she said as she answered the call, only to hear tearful sniffle at the other end of the line, "Veronica, are you okay?" she asked worriedly.

"Hey, Mac" said the blonde shakily, "I know I have a real nerve asking you this but could you please come pick me up?" she asked, sounding desperate somehow.

"Um, sure" she said, without even processing the question and implications of her own answer properly, all she knew was that her best friend sounded wrong and she had to go make sure she was okay, no matter what.

* * * * *

Mac was so far outside her comfort zone, she was pretty sure her happy place had skipped off to another planet as she pulled her car up outside the Kane House. They seemed to have some kind of open door, or at least open _gate_ policy going on tonight as she'd driven right onto the property with no problems at all. Of course, now came the issue of tracking down Veronica, preferably without running into any 09ers who decided to take issue with her presence here at their party.

Getting out of her car out front, Mac decided the back door might be the best way into the house, or rather one of what she suspected would be many back doors. However, just as she was about to round the corner of the building she stopped short, hanging back as she heard Veronica's name being spoken. Peering around the corner, she saw Madison Sinclair, gesticulating wildly as she ranted to a few of her usual bimbo friends.

"How dare Veronica Mars come into our world and mess with our men?!" she yelled indignantly, clearly slightly drunk, at least Mac thought so as she continued to watch and listen, "First, she splits Duncan away from the group, then she starts in on Logan, and now she's broken his heart by screwing around with Troy Vandergraff!" she ranted, "Of course, she didn't try anything with _my_ man" she grinned like the cat that got the canary, sighing as she went on, "Dick is so easy to wrap around my finger, like a little lap dog, I just call and he comes running" she giggled with her girly friends, just for a moment, until something caught her attention.

"Shut up, Madison!" was suddenly yelled loudly and Mac actually had to check the voice was her own!

She knew these were the words she had been thinking but surely she hadn't just yelled them like that? True, Veronica had not behaved so well lately, and Mac could be really mad at her for that, but she was not all the things Madison Sinclair was calling her, and that bitch had no right saying such things about her friend. What stunned Mac was that she seemed to be telling the other girl that herself, as she stormed out from her hiding place to face the blonde.

"Who are you?" asked Madison with distaste as she faced what appeared to her as a badly-dressed, semi-punk girl that she barely recognised as even attending the same school as her.

Mac didn't feel the need to give her name or explain why she had the right to yell at one of Neptune High's elite 09er set. At the end of the day, they were all human beings, close enough anyway, and Cindy Mackenzie couldn't take one more second of being rated second class.

"How can you even judge people, Madison?" she asked her angrily, "You are so far from perfect!" she declared, knowing a large part of this anger wasn't really meant for Miss Sinclair but for a different blonde who had slowly been going over to the dark side these past weeks and months.

"I'm a lot closer to perfect than you, freak!" snapped Madison, launching into full bitch mode, but Mac wasn't at all phased - she'd been called way worse over time.

"Maybe I am a freak" she shrugged uncaring at the term she'd heard a hundred times before, "but at least I'm not some vacuous bitch who treats her friends like servants and her boyfriend like a dog" she gestured first at the girls behind Madison who were backing up a step, just a little afraid of a violent attack following Mac's angry rant, and then at Dick as he appeared out of the shadow of the house.

"At least I have a boyfriend" said Madison smartly as she glanced back at the blond surfer who she was certain would always adore her no matter what, "Dick loves me" she grinned, like she was so clever.

Mac just shook her head as she looked between the couple that meant little or nothing to her.

"Then I feel sorry for him, because he's a fool" she said as she made to turn away, knowing this whole exercise had been pointless but feeling just a little better for saying her piece.

"Oh my God!" Madison declared as her supposed attacker stalked away, leaving the bleached-blonde 09er in a state, "Dick, did you hear what that loser was saying about us?" she raved, whacking him across the shoulder with her manicured hand, ensuring he was paying attention.

The fact of the matter was, Dick didn't care at all what his supposed girlfriend was saying or feeling, if she even had the capacity to feel, because he sometimes wondered.

"Yeah, I heard" Dick told her absently as he watched Mac disappear into the dark, "and y'know what, Mad?" he said with a steely edge to his voice as he finally tore his eyes away from the 'freak' girls' retreating form and faced his girlfriend, "She was right" he said simply, making Madison's eyes go so wide, Dick was surprised they didn't roll clean out of her head.

"How dare you...?" she began to squawk, but Dick just couldn't listen to it anymore.

He'd started to realise months ago that a pretty face and a hot bod were not enough for him anymore. He wanted a girl with a brain and feelings and a personality for crying out loud! When Logan started dating Ronnie, Dick thought he might even get away with dumping Madison for a more decent girl. It was only now, with this unknown telling Madison how it was, that Dick found the confidence to say what he'd been meaning to tell her for too long.

"You're a bitch, Madison" he said tiredly, not even caring that she might look shocked or upset by his words right now, "for the longest time I didn't even care, because you were hot and popular and... I don't know" he shrugged, "I thought that was what I wanted, but I don't. It is so over" he told her then, turning to walk away, as the girls looked on and Madison's anger boiled over a second time.

"Get back here, Casablancas!" she yelled at him, practically stamping her feet like a five year old having a tantrum, "You do not end this relationship, I do!"

"Too late, Mad" he called over his shoulder as he walked away, "Job's done."

Dick continued towards his car, with a smile on his face and a huge feeling of relief inside. He wasn't a saint but lately he'd felt like he was cheating on Madison anyway. No matter how much of a bitch she was, Dick would rather break free from her before he threw himself into a real relationship with someone decent. This was far from how he'd planned his night to go, but all in all, Dick Casablancas was very happy with how it was turning out.

* * * * *

The silence in the car was deafening as Mac pulled out of the Kane driveway and onto the main road. She had eventually found Veronica sat quietly on the steps at the side of the building. They had barely said anything as they got in the car, save for the blonde thanking her friend for coming to get her. She almost looked as if she'd been crying but Mac didn't take a huge amount of notice. She was still buzzing from the way she'd yelled at Madion Sinclair, still mad about everything that bitch had said about her friends and her social class for want of a better term. If she spoke to Veronica too much she had a feeling a fight would break out, but the silence was worse and so she said the most obvious thing that came to mind.

"So, Wallace and the team won their basketball game" she said, since Veronica had yet to ask about it, "They're champions now"

"That's great" replied Veronica, though she barely glanced Macs way, keeping her face to the glass of the side window and her tone flat as she felt inside.

"I guess I can't expect you to be all that interested" the brunette snapped, not really meaning to be angry but unable to help herself right now.

"Mac, of course I'm interested" Veronica sighed, feeling so exhausted by tonight already, "I just..."

"You just what, Veronica?" asked Mac, her anger rising after so long of letting it simmer and bubble inside, "You know I tried to be cool with your whole scam thing on the Kanes" she said, keeping her eyes on the road even as her voice grew louder and her tone harsher, "I wanted you to be happy and if that meant winning Duncan back then so be it, but this thing got way out of hand"

"I know" agreed Veronica, feeling the pain still as she thought of the look on Logan's face when he caught Troy kissing her, the very believable sadness and disappointment in his eyes.

"Do you know?" asked Mac, glancing across at her so-called friend, "You have changed so much, Veronica, sometimes I don't even recognise you" she said sadly, "You let Wallace down, and you let me down, more than once, and all to spend time with the 09ers who you claim you can't stand!" she ranted, not really meaning to get so mad but unable to help it after so long of keeping her mouth shut just for the sake of a peaceful life.

"Well, you'll be happy to know that won't be a problem anymore" Veronica snapped a little as she gave her reply, stunned and hurt by Mac's attitude as she turned back to the window, "Me and Logan are done, we broke up tonight"

"So now he'll get Lilly and you'll get Duncan, just like you wanted" sighed Mac, not realising how hurt Veronica had been by tonight's events, unable to look at her for more than a moment at a time as she kept her eyes fixed on the road ahead, "I guess I should say congratulations, but I can't" she shook her head, "I saw Meg Manning at the game tonight. I guess we can all guess what took her spirit and Pirate pride away tonight"

"I guessed but I..." began Veronica only to stop short and start over, "I'm sorry if she was hurt when Duncan dumped her" she said honestly, but Mac didn't look too impressed.

"She really was" her friend sighed, feeling bad for the blonde she barely knew but had always thought to be one of the nicest 09ers, if such a person existed, "Y'know you weren't like this before, Veronica" she said sadly as she turned into the street where the Mars apartment resided, "You used to care, and now it's like it doesn't matter who you hurt"

"That's not fair, Mac" her friend insisted, but as the car came to a halt, the brunette had the chance to really say her piece.

"Isn't it?" she asked as she turned to face Veronica, "Wallace, me, Meg, not to mention Weevil. I can't imagine he's feeling so great at Lilly dropping him like a hot potato" she shook her head, "You don't exactly look happy yourself, so what was it all for, Veronica?" she asked with a shrug and an expression that proved she really was at a loss.

Veronica stared back at the girl who had been her friend for years now, one of the best, and she felt as bad as she ever had in her life. Between hurting Logan and losing him from her life, then hearing some home truths from Mac that she knew she just couldn't argue with, this was without doubt Veronica's worst night ever.

"I'm sorry" was all she could find to say as she let herself out of the car and practically bolted to the house.

_To Be Continued..._


	18. Chapter 17: Faith In You

**A/N: Wow, still so much support for this fic - I am astounded but of course I love it and appreciate it always :-) Just a couple more chapters to the end from here, as we edge closer towards Prom...**

_**(For disclaimer, etc - see chapter 1)**_

Chapter 17 - Faith In You

It took a week for things to settle down at Neptune High, at least that's the way it was for Veronica Mars. The night of the Kane party had so many consequences, the biggest of which had left Veronica feeling alone and friendless. She could no longer hang with the 09ers as she had effectively cheated with Troy and broken up with Logan, leaving him seemingly hurt. The only one who would really talk to her now was Troy himself and then only when no-one was looking.

As for the people on the other side of the divide, Veronica only really cared about the good opinion of her best friends, Mac and Wallace, and they were none too pleased with her attitude of late. Mac had made that clear when driving Veronica home from the party a week ago and whilst Wallace basked in the glory of being a champion basketball player he didn't seem to need Veronica at all, at least that was how it seemed to the blonde herself.

The rest of the alumni whispered behind their hands and gave Veronica odd looks. They knew she was the reason Duncan had broken up with Meg, and that didn't sit too well with the school populous at large. Meg Manning was like the modern day Snow White, which meant Veronica was quickly cast as the wicked queen who would do her harm. It seemed she was destined to be the most unpopular person at Neptune, and yet despite all this, the one person who's attention she had craved actually seemed to come her way, totally unexpectedly.

"Hey" said a voice behind her, just as Veronica got done closing the locker door, "That's not your locker, is it?" checked Duncan, raising an eyebrow.

"It's a long story" she forced a smile back as they moved to walk down the hall together, "So..."

"So" he echoed the word she used to break the near-awkward silence, "Just a week left til Prom, huh?"

"It's what they tell me" she nodded her agreement, hugging her books to her chest and trying to ignore the dirty looks and slut sneezes she received as they continued on out of the main doors into the sunlight, "I'm not even sure I'm going" she said then, no games or wishes involved really, though a little voice in the back of her head still jumped up and down excitedly at the idea that maybe, just maybe, Duncan had started this conversation in a bid to ask her to be his Prom date.

"It's Prom, Veronica" he said, turning to face her, like those words alone were enough to convince anyone, "It's the final party before Graduation and a huge deal. You have to go" he told her definitely, as she looked up at him, wondering why she didn't feel quite as excited by this moment as maybe she should have.

This was what she wanted after all, what this whole destructive mess of a plan had been for. At least if she got the reward maybe the pain she'd both suffered and caused would seem worthwhile.

"I was actually going to ask... Veronica, do you want to go to Prom with me?" Duncan finally asked, but Veronica barely felt a thing, at least not until she looked past her ex at the guy Neptune High considered her latest flame.

Logan emerged from the school building, arm in arm with Lilly who laughed loudly at a joke he'd just cracked, throwing her head back and swatting him across the arm as they practically bounced along happily. It was like a knife through Veronica's heart and she honestly did not hear a word Duncan said as he reeled off what turned out to be reasons why they should and should not attend Prom together, and why he thought it was a good idea anyway.

All Veronica heard was her own heart pounding in her ears, the feeling of tears welling in her eyes making her angry and sad all at the same time. She'd really screwed this up, she was such a complete fool.

"Duncan..." she cut off his rambling so suddenly he looked stunned as he stopped talking mid-word, and then found himself doubly amazed by what she said next...

* * * * *

"Y'know I just got out of English with Duncan Kane, and I heard him telling some friend of his that he was going to find Veronica Mars and ask her to Prom"

The gossips were in full flow about the latest comings and goings of the school, and it had caught the 09er lunch table just as Logan and Lilly approached.

"It was so uncool what she did to Logan with Vandergraff" said Cole, shaking his head, "Though I gotta say, now Mars is back on the market taking up Duncan's time, gets me my second shot at Meg Manning" he said with a waggle of his eyebrows.

He was swiftly high-fived by his buddies as the girls looked on, disgusted by his attitude.

"You are such a jerk!" snapped Carrie, "Meg did not deserve any of this, and neither did Logan" she said, nobody having yet noticed that he and Lilly were stood behind them, "Veronica Mars is just a dirty whore"

"Enough!" that one word shattered the entire conversation around the table, and put paid to any laughter or even smiles that might have been there, "Now, Veronica might not be perfect, and yeah, what she did hurt, but she is not the devil incarnate!" he told them all, so angry and indignant that no-one was going to argue.

"Hey, nobody here is perfect, dude" shrugged Dick, attempting a little solidarity with the one guy who might understand his own situation right now, not that Logan was even aware of it.

"No, nobody is" he echoed, looking around all the faces at the table and then at an oblivious Lilly as she started another unrelated conversation that she could be the centre of.

As Logan looked at her, he saw a very pretty girl, with a body to die for, and a reputation far closer to that his so-called friends would try to label Veronica with. He wanted attention from Lilly and he got it, but in this moment Logan could hardly say he was happy. No, not happy nor satisfied with what he'd got out of this plan. Only empty and lost, and decidedly ashamed of himself for what he had done.

People were hurt because of that stupid scam he and Veronica had pulled. She'd gone along with it, and he'd been grateful, but in the beginning it was his idea, a Logan Echolls special, and it had ruined so much.

An epiphany seemed to occur as he stood there then, right in the centre of the lunch tables. He didn't want Lilly, not really, not now. When all was said and done, all Logan Echolls really wanted was to be with Veronica Mars. Unfortunately, the sight of her in the school halls, talking to Duncan Kane, told him that all the money and status in the world couldn't help him get what he really craved. He had been such a fool, and it was far too late to put it right.

* * * * *

"Seriously, Mac, is it you?" asked Wallace as he sat down at the lunch table beside his friend.

"Is what me?" she checked with a frown meant more for her meatloaf surprise than him.

"I just found another spirit box in my locker" he explained, showing her the shoebox in Pirate colours of green and gold, full of cookies and a card that wished him congratulations on his latest triumph in the basketball leagues, "I've been gettin' them every week for months. When the season was over, I figured that was it, but then suddenly today, I'm a hero again" he grinned, shoving a cookie in his mouth and offering Mac the chance to share.

"Wow, whoever baked these sure has some kitchen skills" she declared as she bit into the delicious treat, "The only person I know who makes snickerdoodles this good is..." a light dawned in both her eyes and Wallace's own as they looked up at each other.

"Veronica?" he said with astonishment as he peered into the box once again.

Now that he thought about it, the gifts were often cookies of this type, and one time a small cake that did lean decidedly to the left if he recalled correctly. These were Veronica's baking trademarks, on the rare occasion that she did such a thing.

"Seems like even when things were bad between you two, she never stopped caring" said Mac with a look that made Wallace almost want to feel ashamed of himself.

He and his two girly friends had been through a lot together, and sure Veronica had treated them badly this last while and had given both Wallace and Mac every right to be mad at her. Still, the phrase 'it's the thought that counts' rang in Wallace's mind. Maybe it was a little harsh to cut V out of his life forever just because she made a couple of bad choices where the other guys in her life were concerned. She was suffering for it now, that was for sure, and neither of her friends could let her be condemned to loneliness with just a couple of weeks left to the end of Senior Year.

"You think she's in her old hiding place?" he asked Mac who nodded positively.

"Almost guaranteed" she agreed as they got up from their seats, abandoning what passed for Mac's lunch but not for a moment forgetting to bring Wallace's box of cookies along for the quick journey around the back of the school building.

Out by the football field, underneath the bleachers, they found the friend they had been looking for. Veronica was sat alone, back against a supporting post as she ate an apple and watched the world go by through the gaps in the slatted wood.

"Eating alone in the dark is a sad occupation, girl" said Wallace as he squeezed through the broken planks, swiftly followed by Mac, "'Sides _somebody_ made me some awesome celebration cookies, and I got me a need to share the wealth" he grinned as the two friends sat down either side of a stunned but now smiling Veronica.

"You weren't supposed to know they were from me" she told Wallace who shook his head.

"You ain't the only one with mad detective skills, V" he told her, offering her a cookie in place of the fruit in her hand, "We can be just as smart as you"

"Strange, I haven't been feeling big with the smarts lately" she sighed, looking out at the field where some guys were throwing a football around for fun, "I know I really hurt you guys. I hurt everybody, including myself, and no matter what I do I can't fix it" she said sadly, looking down at the cookie in her hands, knowing she deserved the treat about as much as she deserved her friends kindness right now - not at all.

"C'mon, Veronica" said Mac, jostling her shoulder with the her own, "Self pity is not a good colour on you" she told her with a smile, "Besides, none of us are perfect" she said, looking to Wallace for his agreement.

"Too true" he nodded once, "You've been my friend for so long, V, and that shouldn't change just 'cause you made a couple of dumb choices" he told her, "I guess what I'm sayin' is that if you're sorry..."

"You know I am" the blonde cut in quickly, feeling terrible still it seemed.

"Then we're cool, Veronica" he assured her, as Mac nodded her agreement to that.

"You shouldn't be blamed for everything" she told her friend, "Duncan didn't have to dump Meg for you, and Logan sure went running to Lilly fast for a guy who was supposed to be broken-hearted" she explained, going on to apologise next, "I really shouldn't have tried to make you feel like it was all your fault, I'm sorry, Veronica"

"Thanks, Mac" she said, feeling stupidly emotional, "But you can't be as sorry as I am. I really screwed up, guys" she all but cried, "I thought Duncan was what I wanted but..."

"There's a but?" Wallace checked, feeling lost and a little uncomfortable as his toughest girl friend seemed to fight against a flood of tears.

"It wasn't all a scam, was it?" said Mac, hoping the reaction her question evoked was not violent or angry, "Do you really love him?" she checked, not entirely surprised when her friend nodded her head and gratefully accepted the hug of comfort she was offered.

Everything was ruined and as glad of her friends forgiveness as Veronica was, she couldn't help feeling wretched for all that had happened before. She had ruined so much, and it didn't seem to get any better at all. Sure, having Mac and Wallace back in her life pleased her, but knowing she still had two more weeks of school, including Prom, to endure before she could escape Neptune made Veronica feel sick, and she couldn't see that changing any time soon.

_To Be Continued..._


	19. Chapter 18: Lets Live It Up

**A/N: I continue to be astounded by the reaction to this story - I really never expected it to be so popular, and I thank you all for the fab reviewage! Now, here we are at the first half of Prom, and the next chapter will be the last!**

_**(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)**_

Chapter 18 - Lets Live It Up

"Veronica, I wish you were coming with us tonight" sighed Mac as she checked her hair in the mirror for the twenty-seventh time, phone in one hand and brush in the other, "There's easily enough room in the limo with me meeting my date at school and everything" she explained.

Veronica felt like bawling, something she'd been doing on and off behind closed doors for the past couple of weeks. Even her father had no idea quite how upset she was by her break up with Logan, in spite of the fact that even he suspected their romance was real. It was only when it was all over, when the scam reached its climax and then crashed and burned that Veronica realised just how real it really had been, how much she really loved having Logan in her life. She had been so stupid not to realise what was right in front of her nose, until it was too late.

"Trust me Mac, it's better this way" she sniffed, forcing a smile on her face in an attempt to sound cheery, as she sat curled up on her desk chair, her knees up at her chest as she stared at the pictures scrolling on the computer screen of her and Logan at some 09er party, "You worry about your own big night, I'll be fine" she told her friend, hoping to divert a little attention from her own sadness.

"I can't believe I'm doing this" said Mac, sounding just a little giddy and then more serious just a moment later, "What if he doesn't show up again, Veronica? I'm going to feel so stupid!"

She spoke of RichieRich, her online boyfriend for want of a better term, and how she was supposed to meet him tonight in the parking lot of Neptune High. It had come as a hell of a surprise when he messaged her and asked if she had a Prom date. Mac took a while to reply, knowing if she said no she would sound lame, but also not wanting to lie. Inside her heart had been pounding, wondering if his plan was to ask her to attend the special event with him, but it also led Mac to worry. What if her mystery man wasn't all that she thought he was? He could easily have been playing her this whole time. Though she didn't want to believe it, she couldn't help the thought occurring in her mind.

After much soul searching and talking it over with Wallace and later Veronica, Mac knew she had made the right choice in first telling RichieRich the truth and then accepting his invitation to Prom. He had asked for her address to come pick her up, but that was where Mac had drawn the line. In the interest of safety, and to a lesser extent romance, they had agreed to meet in the parking lot, a half hour after the Prom began. She would wear a blue dress, and he would bring her a corsage of the appropriate flower, Bluebells, to go with her screen-name.

"Mac, you'll be fine" she was swiftly assured by Veronica, "I'm sure he'll show up. Besides, if he doesn't, nobody knows about it so there's no-one to make fun of you" she tried to calm her down.

Tonight was pretty much ruined for Veronica Mars, but she was determine her friends should have a good time. Wallace was pretty much guaranteed a perfect night, since he seemed to have completely charmed the 'perfect girl' he'd been after for a while now. Veronica liked Georgia, and was glad for her friend that they finally got it together, _and_ that both of them were signed up to attend Hearst in the Fall. If things worked out, as Veronica hoped they would, Wallace could be a very happy and settled guy before long. She only wished her own love life were working out so well, as Mac gasped in her ear.

"Oh God, the limo is here, I have to go" she rattled out, barely waiting long enough to hear Veronica's reply before she hung up the phone and ran.

"Have a great time. Mac. I wanna hear all about it tomorrow!" Veronica called after her, sighing when she realised the line was dead.

Shutting off the phone and tossing it aside, the little blonde shut down the lid of her laptop too and stared out of the window. This was not how things were supposed to work out, not at all. Everybody seemed to be happy, except for her. Veronica wasn't usually one to wallow in self-pity but it was hard to realise that despite all her plotting and scheming with Logan, _she_ had ended up the lonely one.

Now Wallace had Georgia, Mac had the mysterious RichieRich who would hopefully turn out to be a decent guy, and Logan had Lilly. She doubted Weevil cared too much that he was not required to be the Kane girls escort for Prom, and though Meg's heart might feel like it were broken for a while she'd be okay. She would probably take Duncan back if he asked, and given his propensity for always being part of a couple and never single, he was almost definitely going to try his luck.

Oh yeah, Veronica could be at the Prom right now on the arm of Duncan Kane. It had been the plan from the very beginning and yet before he ever asked her she knew she could not accept his offer of escort. She didn't love him, she had always thought it was love and yet losing him had never hurt like this, not like losing Logan. Twice now the guy, that had been first her best friend and second her faux-boyfriend, had slipped through her grasp and all too easily. Without him, Veronica felt very low, almost lost.

It was at least a blessing that Keith had signed up to be a chaperone for the Prom _before_ Veronica declared she wasn't couldn't back out now and she assured him she would never want him to. Still, she could not go it alone, not this time. She would be proving a point about how tough she was, but the truth of it was, inside Veronica Mars was just an ordinary girl with feelings and a heart that could break. She was a marshmallow, and from that squishy centre that felt all the pain, Veronica let a flood of tears escape, there in the darkness of her room, where no-one would know about it.

* * * * *

As another limo pulled up outside Neptune High school, Wallace immediately turned to the door to get out with his dates hand held in his. He stopped short of actually leaving when a little yelping noise came from the direction of Mac.

"You okay, honey?" asked Georgia kindly as she and Wallace remained in their seats a little longer.

"I don't know" said Mac honestly as she played with the edge of her sequinned purse bought just for the occasion and flattened the skirt of her dress, the blue colour of which was almost a perfect match for the streaks through her hair, "I haven't been this nervous since the fourth grade science fair when the clock wouldn't run off the potato..." she shook her head as she realised she was starting to ramble.

"Hey, Mac, be cool, girl" Wallace urged her, "You got nothin' to worry about, at least not about your date not showin'" he grinned, "I just spotted the real nervous looking guy with the bluebell corsage in his hand" he winked at her, before urging Georgia out of the car and leaving Mac alone, trying to remember how to breathe.

"Okay" she said to herself after a long moment, taking a deep breath and getting carefully out of the limousine.

For a minute she thought either Wallace had played trick on her, however unlikely it was for him to be so mean, or that perhaps RichieRich had realised who she was and bolted without a word. Mac quickly realised she had been wrong on both counts as the car pulled away and she turned around to face the stunned but smiling face of her date.

"Oh my God" she gasped as she spotted the flowers held in his hands, "You... You're RichieRich?" she double-checked, almost unable to believe that all this time she had been talking to none other than Dick Casablancas!

"Dude, that is so weird!" he declared as he took in the sight of Mac, the blue streaked hair giving away her identity as the very same girl who had seen the night of the Kanes pre-Prom bash, "You're that Computery chick that totally told Madison she was a bitch!" he chuckled, apparently really happy about that fact.

"That would be me" she nodded, blushing ever so slightly under his intense gaze, "I guess you wouldn't know my real name" she realised then, despite four years of High School together the 09ers would never deliberately learn the names of computer geeks like her, "Its Cindy Mackenzie, but everybody calls me Mac, not because I like computers actually, just because of my name but..." she rattled off fast, "I'm sorry, I guess I'm just a little stunned" she admitted as he came closer and took her hand in his, sliding the corsage onto her wrist, "I guess I'm not exactly what you thought I'd be, right?" she said, glancing up at him through her lashes.

"Are you kidding me?" he said, probably more seriously than he'd ever said anything to a girl, "You're way hotter than I ever thought you'd be, and I know you're really smart. I was just kinda surprised, I didn't so much know chicks could be both" he admitted honestly, making Mac feel equal parts embarrassed, flattered, and amused, plus he still had a hold of her hand which was making her heart pound madly in her chest, in the best way.

Dick Casablancas was far from what she'd expected tonight either. He was so loud and obnoxious in school, though obviously what might be called a hottie. It hadn't occurred to Mac even once that her mystery man would be some surfer dude 09er. She'd considered all other possibilities, but never this one somehow.

"I was surprised too" she admitted eventually, "but really not disappointed" she promised him, feeling a little odd as they stood there still in the middle of the parking lot with other couples walking by, staring and pointing, Mac was certain of it.

"So, I'm thinking we dance" said Dick, finally tearing his gaze away from his date and turning them both towards the building, "Show this school what it is to party down. What do ya say, Bluebell?" he asked her, the name coming naturally to his lips and seeming so special and cute to Mac when spoken in his voice rather than typed up on the screen.

"I say let's do it" Mac nodded with a lot more confidence than she would usually feel heading into the lions den that was a school dance.

"Hey, you save that kinda talk for later, Miss Mac" said Dick with wink as she realised what she'd said and they both laughed.

Tonight was going to be one hell of a night.

* * * * *

Veronica was considering calling it quits and going to bed when her cell phone began to buzz and hop around her desk with the force of its vibrations. With a slight frown on her features she picked it up, flipped it open, and was surprised to see Wallace had sent her a message, after all he would only have been at the Prom a few minutes, she couldn't imagine what he would have found so important to send her a message about right now.

'Check this out, V' said the simple message that apparently had three pictures attached to it. The first made Veronica gasp with shock and giggle stupidly at the same time as she took in the sight of Mac and Dick with their arms around each other.

"RichieRich" she nodded in understanding now, "Dick, short for Richard..." she muttered as she opened up the next attachment, "What?" she frowned at the sight of Lilly getting up close and personal on the dancefloor with none other than Troy Vandergraff!

Veronica couldn't understand what was happening here. Surely, the scam had worked out for Logan at least? He and Lilly had been hanging off each other these past two weeks, they _had_ to be each others dates for Prom, right?

Veronica's mind raced a mile a minute until she opened up the third and final attachment, her mouth dropping open in shock at the sight of Logan sliding a corsage onto the wrist of his clearly desperate and last-minute date.

"Gia Goodman?!"

_To Be Continued..._


	20. Chapter 19: Keep On Loving You

**A/N: I love all the shock over Gia & Logan - just wait and see what happens next! Well, its been fun, my reader peops, but we have now reached the end of the road. My sincere thanx for all the reviews over the past 6 months or so. Here is the final chapter, and an Epilogue right behind it. Hope you like the ending! :-)**

_**(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)**_

Chapter 19 - Keep on Loving You

Logan Echolls hated himself. He had a hundred reasons he could think of to really think of himself as a complete idiot in this moment, and a hundred more to pile on top of that if he needed them. Still, there was no denying that the very worst decision he'd ever made, the most unbelievably stupid call had to be this - he asked Gia Goodman to be his date for Prom.

From the moment the question left his lips, he knew it was wrong, but within seconds she had accepted in a gushing flood of yesses and kisses all over his face. He should've changed his mind right there, told her it was a joke, a scam, an evil plot to embarrass her. It would've been better to be that guy than Gia's date, the man whose arm she literally hung off as she showed him off like a trophy to the assembled alumni of Neptune High.

The worst of it was not that she wasn't all that pretty, or that she thought of him less as a person and more as proof of her worth because she had managed to land such a guy as him. Nope, Logan wouldn't even say her talking constantly in his ear about total crap from the moment he picked up from her house to now was the worst thing about Gia, though it ran a very close second. The ultimate problem with Gia Goodman was very simple, and Logan knew it as well now as he had two seconds after he asked her to be his date tonight; she was not Veronica Mars.

"So, I'm like 'that's ridiculous, Daddy' but he said that when it comes to college I should really be accepting that he knows best. I mean, it'd be such a drag, but I guess he's right, and..."

The incessant talking was slowly driving Logan crazy, to the point where he was wondering if it would just be simpler and even less painful to pick up that fork from the nearby buffet table and burst his own ear drums with the sharp points. Anything to get away from her, anything to get out of this hell...

"Hey, man" said a voice that Logan knew too well, "Can I talk to you for a sec?" asked Troy as his supposed friend turned to glance his way, "In private?"

It was strange for Logan to realise that his saviour from ending up in a psych ward and/or facing a charge of assault might be this guy. Troy Vandergraff, the very last person Logan thought he would ever choose to have a conversation with now, private or otherwise, would be his hero, with the tell-tale signs of an old black eye he himself had caused not long before still slightly visible.

"Irony abounds" he said quietly to himself as he excused himself from Gia and moved over a few feet to speak with Troy.

"Look, man" he said, looking uncomfortable a moment, "I just, I want you to know that I'm not here with Lilly to rub it in or whatever" he shook his head.

He looked over at his date, causing Logan to follow his eyeline and do the same. She was every high school boys very dirty dream, in a dress that was all but see-through, and cut so low and so high that it left very little to the imagination. What Logan had come to realise was that was all Lilly really was, a fantasy girl. Sure, she had the looks and the body and a certain amount of charm, but he couldn't love her, he never had. That emotion he had only for one girl, and that was the most futile thing in the universe, he already knew that.

"You're welcome to your date" he told Troy in a flat and cold tone that was uncaring and well-practised for such occasions, "Hell, you're welcome to mine too, she's driving me nuts" he rolled his eyes, even as he turned back to return to Gia's side.

"Oh come on, Logan. Don't tempt a guy" chuckled Troy behind him, "I mean, I already got two women away from you"

Logan saw red at the sound of those words, but refused to lose it. He may not have Veronica here with him, and their friendship was strained at best if not broken beyond repair this time around, but he would be damned if Troy was going turn this around and make him look like the bad guy. If he swung for the guy (again) he might never stop swinging and the untold damage he could do... he couldn't bear to look Veronica in the eye after that.

Biting his tongue and taking a couple of deep breaths, Logan found Troy had begun walking away by the time he turned to face him again.

"Hey, Troy" he called behind him, moving to catch up, "You wanna know how you so easily _took_ two girlfriends from me?" he asked with a smile that bordered on evil, "Veronica and me, we had a deal going, a scam. We wanted out and she used you to do it. Easy out clause. _Easy_ is all you were for her" he said getting in Troy's face, "And as for Lilly, why'd you think she asked you to be her escort anyway?" he grinned, "Because she already asked me and I turned her down" he said definitely, "Y'know if I wanted I could walk right over there, whisper in Lilly's ear and we'd be gone before you could even say 'Pirate pride'" he said, slapping Troy across the back a little too hard to be friendly, "but I don't want your girl-toy anymore, so you go play, have fun" he told the other young man, shoving him off in the direction of Lilly, before turning back towards the buffet table where Gia waited.

Despite the fact she had a plate full of food to eat, she had not touched a bite, and yes, she was _still_ talking!

* * * * *

Veronica had never been so self-conscious in the whole of her life as she was in this moment. Confidence had come so easy when she struck out on her own in high school. She and Mac and Wallace, that was all there was really, just the three of them against the world and they fought off anyone who tried to bring them down, Miss Mars most especially. She didn't take crap from anybody, she wasn't afraid to stand up and be counted, and she never let anyone see her cry.

Unfortunately, given the events of the past few weeks, she wasn't quite so confident about standing up in front of all her peers, especially not alone, and yet that's what she was about to do as she stood outside the main doors to the school gym. Two more steps and she would officially be attending the Neptune High School Senior Prom as a lone person, no date or escort, not part of a group of friends, but going completely stag.

This hadn't been the plan. First she had intended to end up here with Duncan, then she'd started wondering about Logan being her date, it hadn't crossed her mind even once that she would come here by herself. Seeing those pictures that Wallace sent had done it, and for that Veronica wasn't sure whether to thank her best friend or hate him forever.

The idea of Mac and Dick together was something she felt she had to see with her own eyes but much more than that, Veronica needed answers. Lilly was free and so was Logan. They were going to come to Prom together, Veronica was certain of it, after all, it had been the plan all along. Of course, it hadn't once occurred to her that if she had changed her mind about Duncan that maybe Logan had changed his opinion on Lilly. At least, she hadn't thought about it until she saw those pictures and realised Lilly's date was Troy and Logan's own choice of partner had been Gia Goodman. There was no way in hell he would be at the Prom, or seen anywhere in public ever with Gia, unless he was beyond desperate.

"Just breathe, Veronica" she told herself, reaching out to flatten the skirt of her red satin dress, the very one Logan had bought her for this very occasion.

Walking into the room, she expected gasps and whispers at every turn, but the party was already in full swing and although she was noticed by a few onlookers, for the most part her fellow students were far too busy having a good time to pay her any mind.

Veronica quickly moved amongst the crowds of people, spotting friends and enemies both as she cast an eye over the dance floor and the seating area beyond.

Finally her eyes landed on Logan, over by the buffet table, topping up his punch glass with a flask of something stronger and hoping no-one would see. She couldn't really blame him since she could pretty much hear Gia's gabbling even at this distance.

"For a relationship to work, you have to be completely honest, which is something I have absolutely no problem with" she was saying, "But you, Logan, you run from the truth"

"Only when it's chasing me" he joked, knocking back his glass in one hit as Veronica edged around the room to where the odd couple stood.

"Do you know what I think?" asked Gia, hardly noticing anything that was going on around her as she continued in full flow, "I think you use sarcasm and anger as a way to keep people from getting too close to you" she went on, just as Veronica reached her side.

"You know, I do" Logan was saying his face turned away from his date and by default from Veronica, "But it doesn't always work" he said, looking out at the crowd for someone, anyone he could use as salvation to get away from his awful date.

"Tell me what you think about me" the brunette said suddenly, putting a hand on her hip and striking a pose as Logan turned his head to look at her like she was crazy, "Seriously. Be completely honest" she urged him.

Veronica saw the tirade coming as Logan took a breath and opened his mouth to let rip at the poor misguided girl, who really did think she was all that.

"Dance with me"

It was not a question but a command that came out of nowhere, along with a hand that grabbed Logan's own and dragged him away before Gia could so much as blink. Logan himself was stunned as he turned and found Veronica suddenly in his arms. He blinked hard twice before he really believed she was there, so sure was he that someone had drugged him and he was hallucinating the blonde satin-clad angel before him.

"Wow" he said eventually as his brain caught up to his body and he found they were now swaying to a slow song, their arms around each other, "Never let it be said that Veronica Mars doesn't know how to make an entrance" he half-smiled, unsure of what was really going on here right now.

"Logan..." she began, knowing she had a million and one things she ought to say right now and yet unable to know which to start with or how best to explain herself, "There's a lot that's confusing me right now" she admitted eventually, looking mostly at her feet, "but one thing I'm sure of, is that I made a horrible mistake letting you out of my life the first time and I really, really can't stand that it might happen again" she admitted, trying to stop the tears that wanted to sparkle in her eyes as she glanced up to met his intense gaze.

"Yeah, I know that feeling" he agreed, holding her body close, still at least partly afraid he might be dreaming this moment, "Veronica, you have no idea how much it hurt seeing you and that idiot Vandergraff at the Kane house" he shook his head, making her feel horribly guilty all over again.

"I'm sorry" she apologised immediately, looking back to her feet, but Logan immediately put his finger under her chin and made her face him.

"I'm not asking for an apology" he assured her, "We were both stupid, thinking some scam would make everything okay again" he shook his head and smiled at their ridiculous behaviour, unable to do anything now but laugh at what true fools they'd been, "Y'know Lilly asked me to be her date tonight, just like I was supposed to want but..." he shook his head, "all I really wanted was to be here with you"

Veronica could hardly breathe at the sound of those words, the smile that spread across her lips as big as her face would allow for, she was certain.

"Duncan asked me too" she admitted, "but I couldn't do it. I'd rather have sat home alone on Prom night that come here with him or see you with Lilly" she confessed, feeling good about the fact she was finally telling him how she really felt and that she was just here in his arms like this, "Logan, I was so blind to what was right in front of me"

"You weren't exactly alone, Ronnie" he told her, as if it weren't obvious by now that he felt the same, "I can't believe I thought I wanted any other girl in this school when I could have had you" he smiled, with such undoubted love in his eyes for her that Veronica almost couldn't stand it.

Glancing away from the intensity of his gaze, she spotted Gia still stood by the refreshments, practically stamping her feet and having a tantrum at the sight of her date dancing with another girl.

"I really don't think your date is too happy with you" said Veronica with a light laugh that she didn't mean to let escape.

"Yeah, well, a lot of girls are going to be disappointed that I'm off the market now" Logan told her with a smirk that made her crack up all the more.

"Shut up and dance" she told him, holding on tighter as he spun her around and around until she was dizzy.

When he finally let her get her breath, Logan held Veronica incredibly close, tucking her hair behind her ear.

"So, who are we making jealous today?" he asked with a smile, unable to help himself, after all the games he and Veronica had played to get to this point.

"Um" she acted as if she had to think about it, casting her eyes around the gym before locking gazes with him once again and smiling brightly, "I'm guessing everyone in this entire room" she said happily, going up on her toes til her lips met his in a long, deep kiss.

_Almost The End..._


	21. Epilogue: Wig Wam Bam

_**(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)**_

Epilogue - Wig Wam Bam

Veronica laughed as she tripped out of the limo with Logan right behind her. They weren't so much drunk as just stupidly happy and perhaps somewhat tired from all the dancing and fun. They really had enjoyed themselves a lot. Veronica hadn't thought for a moment that she could ever have such a great time at a school dance, but Prom had been as magical as everyone told her it could be.

Finally, everyone seemed happy, well, except for Gia, but Veronica chose not to think about that. Of course, she wasn't so naive that she really believed life was going to be a fairytale from now on. Neither she nor Logan were that dumb, but just for tonight, they were going to let themselves believe in happy endings.

As they left the Prom, Veronica had hugged Wallace and congratulated him on all he had achieved this year, not least getting the girl he'd been wanting for months now. Georgia was a sweetheart and they made such a cute couple. Veronica would like to say that Mac and Dick were just as cute, prior to seeing them together she could not imagine ever using such a word anywhere near the blond surfer dude. Things had changed when she and Logan danced past their friends, wrapped up in each others arms and looking almost as if they were in love. That sounded ridiculous when they had hardly spoken to each other for four years of high school and only really knew each other via an Internet connection. Still, there was no denying they looked very happy, and that was all Veronica could ever want for her friends, just exactly what she had hoped for herself.

"Who knew you were such a gentleman, Logan Echolls?" she sighed as they arrived on her porch still hand in hand, "Walking me to my door and all"

"Well, I'll admit I was hoping to get past the front door, Miss Mars" he told her, wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her close, "Maybe see if your bedroom looks how I remember... Entirely for research purposes, of course" he joked, making her laughing.

"Oh, of course" she smiled pulling him closer and kissing his lips, "As much as I would love for this to go on forever" she whispered then, puling away some, "My Dad is probably at the window... with his gun" she added, and Logan honestly wasn't sure if she was serious or not.

"He likes me, right?" Logan checked, "I'm sure he does"

"Well, who wouldn't?" she teased him, before he moved in for one last kiss, Veronica's back against the door as they made this parting moment really count.

What they didn't expect was for someone to open the front door before they were done and it was only thanks to Veronica's good balance, and more over Logan's grip on her that saved the blonde from taking a tumble into the apartment.

"Mom?" the word from Logan's lips made his girlfriend spin around fast, shocked as he was by the sight of his mother, Lynn Echolls, with mussed up hair she was fast trying to flatten out and one of Keith's shirts covering the upper half of her body.

"Dad?" gasped Veronica as she looked from one to the other, feeling both stunned and confused.

Come to think of it, she didn't recall seeing her father at the dance, despite the fact he had gone to play chaperone...

"Hey, kids" said the Sheriff, running a hand over his bald head, "I, er... I guess we have something that we should tell you..." he said, forcing a smile as Lynn did the same.

"Yes, we do have some news" she agreed, knowing that of all the ways she wanted her son to find out about the new man in her life, this was her least favourite scenario.

"That's great, Mom, really" Logan told her with a smile that was genuine if not strained, "but Veronica and me, we really have to be somewhere else right now"

"Yeah, I think we do" his girlfriend agreed, "Um, maybe at your house?" she suggested, looking up at Logan who nodded his head.

"Excellent plan" he told her, turning them both around and hurrying away.

Though both Keith and Lynn tried to call after heir respective kids, they soon gave up, realising they had very little right in this moment to argue with any decision Logan and Veronica made. Still, at least they were happy, both the adults and the teens, for now it seemed.

"Oh my God" gasped Veronica as she climbed into the back of the limo, her boyfriend following and instructing the driver to head for home, "Your Mom and my Dad?" she said, as she shook her head in the hopes of clearing the thoughts that danced through it, mainly images of Keith and Lynn making out and such.

"Veronica" said Logan firmly, putting his hand to her face and turning her to look at him, "We can deal with this" he promised her, moving in for a brief but firm kiss, "I promise, a couple of hours and you'll forget all about... that" he waved in a vague gesture behind them at her apartment that was fast disappearing from sight.

The look in is eyes told Veronica just what Logan meant, and when his lips covered hers the next time, she let herself fall into the moment.

Everything would be just fine, better than fine, it was going to be happily ever after... well, for a while at least.

- The End -


End file.
